Describing herself “as someone who was born into the hell of the internet and has been formed by these fires,” author Jia Tolentino offers a number of recommendations to help people turn off the online noise and look away from their phones, in a conversation with the PBS NewsHour’s Jeffrey Brown.
She said one of the simplest ways to approach a so-called “digital detox” is to install blockers that limit the amount of time you can spend on certain social media applications. For her, it’s 45 minutes: “I can spend 45 minutes a day rooting through this trash can and then afterwards I am not allowed to root through the trash can anymore.”
Tolentino also said it was helpful to “break your body of the physical habit” of reaching for your phone by leaving it at home when you go for walks or on errands, if you can. Finally, “If you’re really in need of it, you can also block the internet for 10 hours a day and see what happens.” And while your brain is recharging, she recommends downloading library books on your phone to pass the time.
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