The benefits of a digital detox

The top 5 benefits to a digital detox weekend away

At Turkey's Nest we offer our guests the chance to escape from the demands of technology and reconnect with nature.

Author Trevor Scott  has sent us this article about the health and well-being benefits of a digital detox.

How long would you be able to stay away from your smartphone?

Very few people can stay away from their mobile phones for more than 3 hours. Many of us remain glued to our screens scrolling through social media pages, chatting, and doing all manner of things online.

With technology taking centre stage in the modern world, many people believe that smartphones are an extension of their lives. Smartphones have replaced the good old watch; it is the first thing most people will think of, or look at after waking up. Many will even spend an hour or so on their phones before getting out of bed.

According to a report published in Deloitte’s Annual Mobile Consumer Survey, it is estimated that 44% of the Australian population consider smartphones a bad influence on their lifestyles. Many of these people are looking for ways to cut down on time spent on their phones

Why not go on a digital detox and enjoy some beautiful natural scenery instead?

Home entertainment streaming services (Such as Netflix and Hulu) have made it almost impossible for many to stay away from their screens for too long.

Let’s face it, one episode of your favourite TV program isn’t enough, is it? Many of the office jobs today entail staring at a computer screen for the better part of the day. To many, there is no escaping from the screen. The good news, however, is that there are many ways of cutting your screen time.

Cutting down on time spent on your phone, TV, and the computer screen is not only good for your health but also promotes your well-being.

Here are 5 reasons for, and benefits of, your very own digital detox.

1.      Your Will Be Calmer and More Content

Taking a break from all electronic devices gives your mind time to relax and rejuvenate. You never have to worry about your peer’s status updates on social media and the constant ding on new email notifications.

It is by taking a break from technology that you will realise how much you have been missing in life. The break gives you a reason to appreciate things and people around you. This, in return, leaves you feeling more content with life, and calmer.

2.      Your Productivity Will Improve

Most people spend almost half of their time at work scrolling through social media, their friends travel pics, and chatting. This can take a toll on your productivity, something you should be worried about.  A digital detox however gives you enough time to respond to client messages and make more business connections. It also reduces time wasted on things that don’t matter in your work and personal life.

3.      You’ll Have Healthier Relationships

In the cyber world, you will make more virtual friends than you have in real life. All your social connections in real life will be non-existent. Unless you take a step back, you will not have someone you can talk to when stressed or needing a helping hand. The same applies to your relationship with friends and family.

According to the marriage celebrant, Jermaine Clarke, “70% of the Australian population will even take their phones to the dinner table. This means families and couples cannot have a one on one talk or share experiences. Having seen phones come out at all times during the wedding receptions - even to take calls! - I’ve seen first-hand how ubiquitous phone usage has become.”

Taking a step away from technology, however means you will be more responsive to the people that matter, your family, and those close to you.

4.      Improved Physical Health

Obesity is a growing problem with the Australian community. This is because many people spend too much of their time lying down or seated while glued to their screens. Lack of physical activity plays a significant role in weight gain and obesity.

That said, taking a break from technology and leading an active life will help you catch on your health.  Regular exercise improves blood flow and circulation to all vital parts. It also helps improve your physical and psychological health.

According to the team at Northern Sports Myotherapy, a remedial therapy clinic in Victoria, the cause of many discomforts like lower back pain are partially caused by the digital world, saying that “the constant requirement to sit in front of a computer all day or hunch over your phone while walking, makes good posture an extremely difficult task. This leads to back pains, shoulder pains, and more”.

5.      No More Insomnia

Mobile phones, TVs, and other electronic devices emit blue light, which is believed to have an impact on a person’s ability to fall asleep. With a digital detox, you will be staying away from these gadgets that affect your sleep.

The body will, therefore, be able to produce melatonin, the hormone responsible for a good night’s sleep. Unless you are yet to notice it, you are more likely to toss and turn in bed after using a phone for a long time as compared to if you didn’t touch your phone or watch the TV a few hours before bedtime.

Staying away from electronic devices will help improve your sleep patterns, so you will wake up feeling rejuvenated and more relaxed.

According to the team at M.T Medical, a Western Australian cosmetic company, more people are suffering from skin issues due to a lack of sleep, saying that “people are so addicted to their phones that they won’t put it down, even at the cost of their own sleep. This leads to insomnia symptoms and poor health”.

Technology and the digital era have helped make life simpler and more comfortable for us.  An over-dependence or misuse of these devices however can take a toll on our lives and what we believe in.

For this reason, it would be advisable to take some time off technology and if possible, connect with nature. Turkey's Nest offers you the chance to rest, relax and detox.

It is by unplugging that your body can rejuvenate and reconnect with those that matter to you.

Author Bio

Trevor Scott is a Sydney-based university student of business studies and freelance writer.

Retro vanity

Well, it's been a long time coming! When we first built the house nine years ago the downstairs toilet had a 'temporary' vanity. It was made from a sheet of laminex-coated ply, four pine posts (from the original set-out posts for the house) and a second hand sink. Not a pretty thing, and after several years it had started to sag in the middle.

A few years back we bought four cedar table legs on ebay. The tops were in bad condition, so Russell removed them and made new tops from old cedar window frames.

The legs then just needed a quick run through a lathe (via a friend's Men's Shed connection).

Rails and shelf were made from the remains of the wardrobe rebuild done earlier in the year.

As we have another old marble-topped washstand in the room, we bought a Corian top in 'raincloud', which has similar colours to the old marble. The Corian is not cheap, and we had to limit the width to 930mm as this is the standard width the Corian comes in - any wider and it would have almost doubled the price.

The sink and tap are Bunnings purchases, very much on the budget end. Tiles are a mixed selection from oldworldtiles.com

Cubby house renovation

There was a small cubby house, called Kurrajong Station, on the property when we bought it, built probably forty years ago and now in a rather run down condition. With a visit from grandchildren imminent, we decided now was the time to give it some TLC and an upgrade.

Before - rotten floor boards on the verandah, mould on the walls, worn battens, peeling paintwork, wobbly railings. Fortunately this job was on a small enough scale to complete in a week or two.

 We started by pulling out the verandah floor, scrubbing the walls and sanding flaking paint. We had some left over floorboards from another house to fix the verandah, and fencing wire for the ballustrade. After a couple of coats of paint it was looking good.

At our local tip's Treasure Island we found a kid-sized table and chairs that only needed a leg mended. We added some pictures inside (some of which had been done at school by my children!), painted up a piece of ply to make a blackboard, and added some toys. Last thing to be added was a slippery slide (from Bunnings).

After - ready for the arrival of grandchildren!

 


 








This was a very satisfying project that could be completed just over a week. The grandkids loved it, and it should do for another couple of decades!

Outdoor living

 If you live on the side of a mountain, having a bit of flat space is a luxury!

We've now created a small grassed area out the front of the house - lovely rock walls around the garden, a frog pond (old bath!), a 'dry creek bed' run-off, and a (still-to-be-completed!) mini waterfall with lots of tree ferns.

Maybe a suitable spot for a small wedding! Certainly a place for al fresco winter lunches, or evening drinks

 

And the 'dry creek bed' worked a treat in the recent storms!

 I'd had this beautiful old oak wardrobe for ages, but like many of its era, it was too shallow for the depth of a coat hanger. For years it was just a storage cupboard, too impractical for clothes.

When we moved we deconstructed it, hoping to put the doors to use again as a built in wardrobe in the house, while the base would become a window seat.

We contacted local fine furniture maker (and amazing wildlife artist!) Garry Rogers to turn the whole thing into a new, practical built-in wardrobe in the sloping walls of our attic bedroom.

Garry made up the front frame in his workshop, using the wood from the side of the wardrobe as new drawer fronts, and wood from our property for a new pediment on top.

Garry's attention to detail is meticulous. All the doors were refinished and cracks and imperfections fixed.



The finished frame was then built into the sloping upstairs hallway, where it serves as a very practical wardrobe with shoe drawers below.

We're extremely grateful to Garry for bringing this beautiful piece of furniture back to life, and cannot recommend highly enough his fine woodworking skills.