In my pursuit of better sleep, health and increased happiness, I've really started to tune into the little things that bring me joy.
These can come in a multitude of forms – from conversations with friends, spending time with my little nephews or cooking a delicious meal. But if I was to pick just one thing that boosts my wellbeing and enhances my happiness time after time? It's switching off. Despite living in a digital world, nothing makes me feel better than time away from my phone or laptop, especially when combined with being in nature.
After going through a rough patch of bad sleep, I trialled the well-worn path of 'switching off' and eliminating screen time before bed. I swapped Netflix for a book and left my phone outside of my bedroom.
The improvement was instant; my sleep improved drastically and I was falling asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Naturally, my mood was better, I had more energy and felt able to tackle the day ahead. So I decided to try this on a larger scale.
After a busy couple of months in full wedding season and a hectic summer coming up, I knew I needed to carve out some me-time to keep myself on top form.
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Wanting to test the theory that switching off is key to happiness, I booked a week-long trip in the Swiss Alps, planning to fully embrace switching off. Here's what I learned from abandoning my phone for a week.
1. We rely on our phones – a lot!
Our screens are so entwined with our lives; we rely on an assortment of apps to get us around and make our lives 'easier'. So, deciding to switch all of this off for a week was a very conscious decision, one which wasn’t always easy to follow but I knew would have a great impact on my overall wellbeing.
Along with a friend, I rented a campervan from Geneva, and armed with a few disposable BBQs and a map of Switzerland, we set off vaguely in the direction of the Swiss Alps.
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2. It's easier to live plan-free without a phone
Before we left, we consciously made no plans. We had no set route, no itinerary and no blueprint. This alone felt out of my comfort zone as generally, like most people, I like to know where I’ll be sleeping that evening and what my day will loosely entail.
This freedom of movement turned out to be incredibly liberating, as we had the agency to wake up in the morning and do whatever we pleased.
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Some days we would drive for hours looking for the perfect lake to set up our BBQ and park up for the night, while other days we'd head to a destination with a loose plan in mind.
3. Having no phone cleared my mind
Given the nature of our environment and being so far up in the mountains, there was very little entertainment available – which meant we had little else to do but embrace switching off!
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Having no phone as a distraction, my mind felt wonderfully clear and I was able to be fully present in my environment.
Free time was spent walking, talking and reading. It sounds so simple, but I noticed how much more engaged I was without the distraction or feeling the urge to check my emails or reply to a WhatsApp message.
There were challenges along the way – a broken fridge, unreliable cooking facilities and a cold shower (not to mention the tiny bathroom situation!), but relinquishing control of these everyday luxuries was liberating. In the grand scheme of things, none of it really mattered. Priorities seemed to naturally shift as we were fully engaged in embracing all the incredible scenery that Switzerland has to offer, while soaking up the sunshine and that much sought-after vitamin D.
Having very little connection to the 'real world' gave me the much-needed time and space to rest, re-charge and re-connect to myself. I returned feeling calm and clear. By fully switching my mind off, I was able to completely reset.
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Being able to turn your phone off for a week is a complete luxury in today's world, and one I don’t take for granted.
While it’s a rarity to be able to do so for a prolonged period of time, I felt the benefits enough to know that it's worth pursuing.
Going forward, I will be switching off as much as possible. Next up is a weekend 24-hour digital detox, as this feels manageable for a busy life in London. I would hugely advise switching off for as long as possible – whether this is putting your phone on airplane mode for a couple of hours in the evening or promising to leave your phone outside of your bedroom. I guarantee your sleep will improve, your mind will clear and you’ll feel so much better for it.
