What is a digital detox holiday?
Are you surrounded by screens everyday? Maybe you check your mobile phone the minute you get out of bed, scroll through instagram several times a day, sign into Facebook for a scroll, read up on the top new stories for instant hits from your favourite news sites and get lost on pinterest for at least half an hour.
Can you relate to this? If so, like me, you deserve a digital detox. Simply put, this is time out to give yourself a break and get some control over how your time is being spent.
Reasons why you should take a digital detox holiday
- Leave work behind. Don’t feel guilty about the e-mails building up in your inbox. Put your off of office message on and sign off from all emails. What you think is urgent in work terms, rarely is in life terms. They will be there for you when you get back and if it is truly urgent your employer will find a way to get in touch.
- Be mindful. Living in the moment is something we all strive to do and tell ourselves to do but it is becoming more and more difficult. We get lost on screens and have to schedule our time around them. By turning off and tuning into the land we can reconnect with our senses and learn to appreciate again.
- Do it together. A digital detox can be shared. Everyone has a friend or family member who is a slave to the screens so why not ask them to go along with you. As well as encouraging eachother to stay offline, you will be sharing the experiences together.
- No news is good news. Did you ever hear of this saying? Well, it could be applied to anytime we get off our many new sites today. We might think we need to stay updated by the hour but we really don’t. We can survive without the news for a couple of days.
- Facebook and Instagram won’t miss you. Say to day but true, nobody but you wants to see endless photos of your fantastic life on instagram and Facebook. Yes, it is nice to keep up with friends and the original concept was inspiring but selfies are boring and if you wait to post an album when you get back people will be looking forward to seeing your updates. When it comes to social start thinking less is more.
- Health benefits – Less stress
Top Tours for a Digital detox in Europe
Now is the perfect time to turn off and get some time for you. Whether you want a break from a hectic office life, a bit of the headspace to come up with some new ideas or would love to learn to appreciate the land around you and live more mindfully, there is a detox to suit your needs.
Give yourself other things to do with your body and brain. A fruit picking experience is a great way to spend time out from the screens. Join us to experience life on a vineyard in Portugal’s Douro Valley region.
Wine tasting and hunting for truffles are two activities often associated with luxury. These are two ways to take your mind off the future and into the present.
GO WILD FOOD FORAGING IN IRELAND
Step back in time and learn to forage like our ancestors did. This wild food experience is just what you need to get back to nature and enjoy the fruits of the land around us.
Northern Portugal is packed full of delicious grapes to taste. The Vinho Verde is the most famous wine in the region. This tour will give you a taste of the Portuguese lifestyle.
DISCOVER THE LANDSCAPES OF BURGUNDY
As one of the most famous wine regions of France you will be perfectly situated to experience all there is to love in the area.
This is the ultimate way to get back to nature and reconnect with the land. Enjoy fruit picking for 1 week in the most stunning landscapes of Greece.
Tips for your Digital Detox
- Practice at home – start by leaving your phone at home while you go for a short walk. Increase your time away from the screen daily.
- Manage your updates – do you need to update your facebook feed or instagram account everyday? No, you can minimize your updates.
- Buy a handheld map – Instead of using google maps to guide you everywhere you go.
- Invest in a guidebook – a well written guidebook can be more of a tool than any website.
- No screens before bed – try to stop checking your phone before bedtime.
- Social doesn’t mean social media – Give yourself time out to reflect, what happens on social media will stay on social media. Leave it there and give yourself time to think.
Enjoy every minute of your digital detox. Savour the time away from the screens and discover the beauty of the land around you.
For more information on any of our fruit and foraging tours contact one of our travel experts.
