Why a Digital Detox Could Change Your Family Life for the Better.

Change Your Life with a Digital Detox

A digital detox, or any extended break from technology, can help you sleep better, improve your focus, and help you develop a healthier mind and body.

Yet, we are surrounded by technology. Everywhere you look, there’s someone staring at a screen. Of course, it’s possible you haven’t noticed because you’ve got your own gaze firmly planted on your mobile device too, instead of on the real world.

Technology keeps us connected like never before, but it can still take its toll. When was the last time you went an entire day without checking your phone? Or took a week away from Netflix? For many of us, that answer may be elusive. Read more about the benefits of a digital detox with this article from Beyond Blue. 

More and more people are looking to escape their tech-driven city life in favour of simpler, natural environments.

Live in Harmony with Nature at Newenham

Newenham’s growing community is nestled in a beautiful pocket of Adelaide Hills, surrounded by picturesque tree lines, gently undulating hills and the tranquil Western Flat creek.

At Newenham, we believe in establishing a harmonized relationship between homes and the surrounding environment. We are creating a community that’s not only sensitive to its environment but shaped by it. Every element of Newenham has been considered deeply and thoughtfully with respect to the health, happiness, and wellbeing of our community.

We believe that access to wide open spaces is vital to a person’s wellbeing as it encourages an active lifestyle and enhances a person’s health and happiness.

Newenham was designed with plenty of natural open space so residents could feel a sense of freedom and connection to the great outdoors. Eight hectares of land was allocated for the creation of the Newenham Farm which will lend itself to a range of different used from community gardens and nurseries to education programs and natural playgrounds. The potential is endless, and the initiative will contribute to a happy, healthy community that’s able to get back in touch with nature. Newenham is also retaining 98% of the existing trees and planting thousands more to enhance the sense of wellbeing residents feel as they explore their neighbourhood.

Establishing a balance between natural and human-made environments is incredibly important to us. It’s not only because natural environments are beautiful. Simply walking around in nature can improve memory, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress, along with many mental health benefits.

It might be time to change you and your family’s life by implementing some simple digital detox strategies. Read our tips for a happy, healthy lifestyle that isn’t ruled by technology.

1. Dine Without Tech

Establish the dining room as a digital-free zone. Make mealtime family time, which means no eating in front of the television screen, and no checking mobile devices at the table. If you have to, collect all mobile devices before the meal begins, and store them well out of reach. Turn them off or keep them silent, so you’re never interrupted by the tempting ding of a notification from another room.

Dining without tech may also inspire you to eat less. Encourage your family to savour every bite and focus on mindful eating.

With good food and good company, who needs tech?

2. Create Digital Detox Zones in Your Home 

Create areas in your house that are tech-free for you and your family. The bedroom is a perfect digital detox zone. Put the phones, tablets, TVs and smart devices away when you are in the bedroom.

If you count on your phone as an alarm to wake you up in the morning, ditch that habit and invest in a simple cooking timer or an alarm clock. Read a real book before bed and wake up in the morning without checking your phone first thing. Share this house rule throughout your family and remember to oblige tech-free zones yourself.

3. Read Real Books

Tech has made access to books one click away. And while a tablet is more efficient than a library, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of paper in hand, of turning a page.

Choosing a real book before bed will also help you stay away from your phone before you sleep. Whether it’s your phone, computer, or television, the screens of digital devices emit blue light, and blue light messes with our circadian rhythms and hinders our sleep. If you’re among the 46% of Australians who use their digital device right before going to sleep, it could explain why the coffee just isn’t cutting it in the morning.

4. Don’t Work Through Lunch

When lunchtime rolls around, stop working and take the break your body and brain needs. Eat your lunch away from the computer, so you’re not tempted to get one more thing done.

Now, here’s the tough part: don’t turn to your phone as soon as you’re away from the computer. Use this time for a digital detox, albeit a small one. Bonus points if you’re able to get out of the office to spend your lunch break in nature.

5. Make a Habit of Walking Outdoors

Get outside and go for a walk. The closer you can get to nature, the better. It’s tough to watch where you are going when you have a phone in your face. Plus, who wants to look at their phone when they’re strolling around a beautiful park?

Make walking an activity that your whole family can do together. The fresh air combined with beautiful surroundings and a little bit of exercise are sure to rejuvenate both mind and body.

Want to live in a community that’s seamlessly in tune with the natural beauty that surrounds it? Newenham offers the opportunity to build your dream home within the natural landscape of Adelaide Hills. We are extremely proud of the community that is forming and we invite you to share in our vision of a flourishing landscape and place you’ll call home.

The Newenham Sales and Information Centre is open daily from 12-5pm at 164 Flaxley Road, Mount Barker or you can book a personal tour at a time that suits you.

Come and see for yourself why you and your family will love living at Newenham.