I love detoxes mainly because they are short term, goal oriented programs that actually give results. 2020 hasn’t been the best for me and a lot of others mentally and physically. Here are 5 detoxes that I’m doing, hoping these will help heal some of the damage that 2020 has done.
Social Media Detox
Can we all agree that social media can become toxic with excessive usage? From comparing stats to comparing lives to trying to make it look like your life is more exciting than it is- toxicity slowly creeps in without your even realizing it. And then one day you’re in bed, sleepless at 3AM, wishing like Karen you could be in Mykonos partying with Lindsay Lohan.
I only use Instagram and I use it ALOT. So starting August this year I decided to take a few weeks off from Instagram every quarter of the year. I’m on my second IG detox for the year and I’m hoping to stay off it the entire month of November. Read about my last social media detox here.
DETOX TARGET: The target should be to go a whole week without logging into any social media account that you have.
Internet Detox
I’m sure some of you gasped dramatically wondering how this is even possible – our whole lives are dependent on the internet. From social media to contacting people to google maps to Netflix to simply googling things to even this blog – we all are excessively dependent on the internet. But the same internet is the reason we spend hours glued to the phone. This year with all of us spending more time indoors, our consumption of the internet and phone usage has increased manifold. Internet actually saved a lot of us from this pandemic by helping us work from home and yet remain connected with the world. But excess of everything is BAD!
Take a day off in the week – spend your Sunday doing things that don’t depend on the internet – go for a walk or a jog, cook a full three course meal, read a book, play the guitar, talk to the people around you, paint – do anything that doesn’t require you to use internet. You can combine the Social Media and Internet Detox and do it together.
DETOX TARGET: Go a whole day without the internet (Detox Sunday)!
Shopping Detox
I’m sure everyone around the world is going crazy doing festival shopping – in India we have Diwali this month and Christmas is around the corner too. Once you’re done with all the festivities, it’s time for a shopping detox. If you have been shopping a lot since you’ve mostly been home and there hasn’t been much to do – this detox is necessary for you! The detox is not only good for your pocket, it’s also a small way in which you can contribute to the environment. I’m done with my festival shopping and now I’m taking a break for the next 3 months.
The new year is around the corner and being sustainable should definitely be one of your goals! If you find being sustainable difficult – read my blog on how to be sustainable on the cheap!
DETOX TARGET: 3 months shopping detox post the festival shopping!
Health Detox
This year hasn’t been the best for me health wise – being locked up at home and not being able to go to the gym has lead to me piling on some weight. Add to it the upcoming festivities and I’m sure my body is going to need a breather. Festivals across the globe means we’re all going to be eating and drinking a lot – even if it’s just at home with family. Make sure to give your body a break after. Make sure you hydrate as well as eat right for a few weeks after. Throw in a workout challenge to the mix to make it a complete body detox.
DETOX TARGET: A no sugar and no alcohol detox for atleast 2 weeks!
Negativity Detox
This year sucked – for me atleast. I haven’t coped with all the changes in the best way – leading to a lot of negativity, anxiety and self doubt. A lot of us have had increased issues with our anxiety and mental health in general. It’s time to break free from all the negativity – it’s festival season and time for a new year! Let’s do a detox and leave all the negativity of 2020 behind and look forward to what is coming next – THE VACCINE!
This detox is definitely the hardest for me – but wake up in the morning and write 3 affirmations/things you are looking forward to in the day. At night, read what you had written in the morning and tick them off like a to-do list. Whenever through the day you feel your thoughts slipping again – go back and read what you had written in the morning to remind yourself to stay positive. Also, MUTE people that don’t make you feel good about yourself!
DETOX TARGET: Staying positive, trying to cut off negativity in any form even people and spreading positivity around for the rest of 2020! ❤
2020 has been the year of crazy for me! Life has changed WAY to much – here’s hoping I’m able to do these detoxes and enter 2021 – with a healthier mind and body. Will you join me in doing these detoxes?
Take care!
If you like this post, check out my other posts –
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- April Reads: Mini-Book Reviews & More
*Photos are from the internet.
Happy Panda 
Good points and totally agreed with you… Internet nd health detox are main which even i want!! Should start detoxing gradually… 😊😊
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Definitely, gradually start reducing your consumption and then detox for a few weeks! ❤️
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Yes! I have really cleaned up my social media and cut my mindless scrolling, especially Twitter. I’m trying the alcohol & sugar detox; I have great days and failures as I crave both when I’m stressed or fearful.
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Sugar detox is the hardest for me too! I crave sweet too whenever I am low. But I’m trying hard to end the year on the high of being healthier. We can do it! ❤️
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Really loved reading this post! Have been meaning to do a social media/internet detox for a while, thanks for the inspiration 😊
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Thank you 😊
Social media detox is actually quite liberating but internet detox is so difficult! 🙈
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Love this. YES to all. You reminded me that I used to have a weekly internet-free day. It was when I worked a lot so it was easier to just stay offline.
Funnily, I’m doing the opposite on IG as I joined another gratitude challenge for the month, but I wish I hadn’t. Not after watching The Social Dilemma! But I’m trying to log in as little time as possible. And so far I’ve been good with the news and FB, those are easy to keep away from.
Good luck with your challenges. Thanks for the dose of positivity and can-do attitude. xo
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Thank you so much!
Internet free day is so difficult since I’m so used to being on my phone. But it’s just once a week so that makes it a lil doable.
Yesss, I did see your first few posts for the challenge. I think the challenge is so positive that it negates the negative of logging into IG. 😊
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Oh, excellent suggestions, especially social media and tech detox. It is probably one of the biggest compulsions we have, no? Actually out first retreat ever was a 9-day digital detox in Bali. It was incredibly transformative. When we returned the phones of participants on the last day, they did not want to take it back!
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Wow, I’ve heard of such retreats – IDK how I’d do minus my phone for 9 days!! 🙈 But it’s amazing to hear that participants got habituated to not having their phone on them. But again, if I were doing a retreat in Bali I’d probably not want anything or anyone – it’s such a beautiful place.
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This blog post is totally relatable.
The year really took us down.
I stopped using WhatsApp last year. There was a time when WhatsApp was the most used mode of communication for me, I preferred WhatsApp over calls. But last year, somehow I got tired of it. Thus, I stopped using it. Last year in December, I bought a new phone and I didn’t install WhatsApp on it. Thus, I started telling people that I didn’t use WhatsApp. I came to old-school phone texts. My old phone has WhatsApp which I check once a day. ( I cleared some 32,000 messages around New year in 2020).
After March (lockdown), I had pizza twice, burger twice, momo 4 times till now. So, good on health detox too. I work in the internet domain, digital world so can’t stay away from it.
Yet to work on negativity detox, there’s a lot of it.
What’s this Karen and Lindsay thing?
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I already did my social media detox and it’s been 4 months I haven’t used instagram. What I need is definitely health detox. Loved your suggestions. 😇
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These are great ideas and sooo needed!
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Great post! I definitely need a social media and internet detox, but my online classes won’t let me!
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A Sunday internet/social media detox ? I save the internet detox for Sundays and it isn’t the easiest but I try. 🙈
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Exactly, much needed! Amazing post!
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Thank you 🙂
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Yassss I love this post! Was just thinking about how I can get ready for 2021. These are great ideas! Shopping detox might be the toughest for me… 🙈🙈
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Shopping detox is usually hard for me but since I can’t really go anywhere this year – it’s been a lot easier. Though I’ve moved from clothes and stuff to shopping for home stuff. 🙈
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Hahahah i know!! Clothes is hard cause you can’t try them on anymore…but cozy home stuff 😍
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Excellent post! I have been on a social media cleanse for a few months now, asides from WordPress, and it has been great! I have decided to focus on positivity throughout these months as much as possible
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