According to Brain Sharper, the average cell phone user picks up their device 52 times in a day, checks Facebook 14 times in a day, Instagram has 500 million active users every day. For most of us, stepping away from our devices is inconceivable especially when we travel. Almost any feature we use while traveling like flight status checking, rental car reservations, google maps etc are absolutely essential in today’s travel environment. So can we really unplug from our devices when we are on vacation? Is an analog vacation even a thing?

How many times have we gotten somewhere super special only to find ourselves chained to our devices. Be it at the dinner table where everyone is on their phone or relaxing on the beach with a tablet or worse binge-watching TV shows while scrolling through our smartphones. Many of us couldn’t imagine life without our smartphone and come back from a trip of a lifetime only to realize that most of that was spent connecting to the office, responding to emails or worse yet staying connected to other people’s lives online. Vacations are meant to be enjoyed with plenty of downtime, rest, relaxing and doing nothing remotely resembling work, right?

Then why is it that the thought of a digital detox during a vacation almost as stressful as planning a vacation in the first place?Travel can serve as a much needed rest from constant screen time. If done correctly and planned well, it can be just the digital detox you need. So how can we enjoy an analog vacation?

#1 Leave technology behind

The easiest possible way to have a technology free vacation is to just leave all technology behind. While most people might argue that it is not possible, there are some easy ways to do this. While traveling without a cell phone might not be possible, do you really need to bring that laptop, tablet, smart watch and e-reader? The less devices you travel with, the more creative you will be in finding ways to entertain yourself during travel downtime.

Of course, this would take some planning. So make sure you get organized at least a few weeks before to ensure that all pending tasks are completed. Don’t leave things for that last minute because they rarely get done on time and then the excuse of needing to bring that office computer seems like the only way out.

#2 Clean out devices

Before every trip, clean out your device, remove unwanted and distracting apps. Program all relevant numbers into your phone’s contacts, and save reservation confirmations as screenshots on the camera roll. This makes it less tempting to just be on the phone when you are bored and have nothing to do. Instead, try and strike up a conversation with the person sitting next to you. Read a physical book or even just sit and let your mind rest without doing anything. The art of doing nothing is an incredible skill to have. Deactivate social media so you are not spending hours surfing Facebook and Instagram.

#4 Turn off notifications and set the OOO recording

If it is a pleasure trip, remove work email apps and program out of office so that people will know you are not available for any work related issue. Block out all notifications so that you are not tempted to pick up your device the moment you get a message. There are even apps that track how many times you pick up your device and which apps you tend to spend most time using. By turning off all notifications and putting the phone on Do Not Disturb or airplane mode, you reduce the temptation to pick it up and take time away from your vacation.

After all when you remove all temptations, it becomes easier to stick to resolutions, right?

#5 Set ground rules and stick to them

Setting ground rules is one of the most important things you can do before any trip especially if you are traveling with friends and family. There will always be someone who claims they cannot live without their device. But if you have dedicated technology usage time and dedicated technology down time, then everyone is on the same page. Most people will avoid devices during meal time or group activity times so that everyone is engaged and invested in enjoy the activity as opposed to being mentally somewhere else. A digital detox vacation is possible as long as you make sure to get everyone’s buy-in so that it is a fair deal for all concerned parties.

Some places in the world are more technologically connected than others. In places like New York and LA, everything from pizza delivery to calling for a cab to buying a train ticket is done electronically. On the other hand some places in the east like India a lot of things are done via people to people interactions. Depending on where you travel, it might be easier or harder to go off-line. But regardless of where you go, have some ground rules makes it easy for everyone to follow.

#6 Bring non-technology substitutions

Did you know that people went on vacations and enjoyed downtime even before the era of live streaming, You Tube videos, Amazon Prime and Netflix. Family vacations were just as fun and rewarding then as they are now. Instead of screens to provide entertainment, people used board games, outdoor activities and even family reading time to bond. These non-technical objects were the perfect tools to plan, execute and enjoy an analog vacation. Make sure you bring ample variety of these substitutions for entertaining the gang. Traveling offers a unique opportunity to leave behind busy schedules, unplug from technology and screens, and have fun together as a group.In today’s hyper-connected world, most vacations are highly documented through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and a slew of other equally entertaining apps. The need to ‘see and be seen’ is constant. But by making a conscious effort to be mindful of your technology use and using your vacation to recharge and reconnect in person, face to face with the people that are important to you is the best way to make the most of your time off and get a digital detox.

After all work will always be there when you get back but real time spent with family and friends is something that is irreplaceable.

Have you tried to have a digital detox vacation? What strategies do you use to unplug from technology and limit your screen time when you are on a personal trip?

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