Do you need a digital detox?

#1 You are too attached to your smartphone

Your phone is probably the last thing you look at before you go to bed and the first thing you reach for when you wake up.

While it's fair to say your phone is also your alarm and inevitably the first thing you pick up in the mornings, what justifies being unable to put it down until you're about to sleep?

#2 You constantly fret about work

If checking your phone incessantly because of work is affecting your health (physically and physiologically), it is definitely time to take a step back.

Even if you have an extremely demanding job, taking a break isn't going to bring about the end of the world.

It's more important to take time occasionally to reprioritise, refocus, and recharge so that you don't burn out too quickly at your job.

#3 There aren't enough hours in a day

Do you ever feel like you're losing track of time and the hours just fly by?

It's all too easy to get sucked into the vortex that is Youtube and endless scrolling through Facebook. Social media and the Internet can be a serious time-suck.

There just seems like so much to catch up on constantly, and anyone with a fear of missing out (#FOMO) is likely to dedicate their waking hours to being digitally connected.

#4 You're having fewer meaningful conversations

Can't remember the last time you sat down and had a talk with your parents? Or even a discussion with your partner about more than just how your day was?

Being hooked to our phones might connect us to thousands of other people online, but it takes you away from the people who are by your side.

#5 You aren't noticing what's happening around you

How many times have you seen someone hog a seat on the bus or train, even when there's someone who needs it more standing right in front of them?

Everyone is too busy looking down at their phones to look up at what's going on around them.

#6 You feel disconnected

The biggest and probably most telling sign of all that you need to unplug and reconnect with the people around you? Feeling lonely.

It doesn't mean that you've got no one around you, but more that you've become so disconnected from your family and friends that you've got no one left who has a significant and regular presence in your life.

Sure, you've got your TV shows and social media, but none of it can replace genuine human interaction.

Try your own mini digital detox

Holidays are a great time to unplug, especially if you're somewhere that's somewhat off the beaten path, but if you can't go on an "Eat, pray, love" retreat of your own, there are other ways to try out a digital detox at home.

Pick a day to unplug, preferably a weekend so you can go at least 24 hours without social media, the Internet, or your television.

I find it's easier to pretend you're on holiday and to just go about your day as though you're without access to the Internet.

If you're all about human connection, it's best to do this with a partner, friends or close family. You can do anything from exploring somewhere new, cooking a meal together, or just spending the day together learning a new skill or playing board games.

If you want to try it out on your own, you can do something as simple as taking an entire day to read a hefty book.

Get more stories from herworldPLUS here.