Digital Detox for the Holidays: Reclaim Your Time and Presence

Why the Holidays Are the Perfect Time to Unplug

The holidays are full. Full of plans, people, emotions, and...notifications. Between group texts, work emails that “just can’t wait,” and endless Instagram scrolls for holiday decor inspo, it’s easy to miss the moments that actually matter.

A digital detox isn’t about shame. It’s about the choice to spend your time where it counts.

Your attention is valuable. Your energy is limited. And the people and priorities in front of you deserve your presence, not just your online presence.

What a Digital Detox Really Means (and Doesn’t)

It's not tossing your phone into a drawer or announcing a social media breakup. It’s the making intentional shifts that help you feel better, less anxious, more focused, and more in control of your time.

What does it mean:

- Creating healthy limits around when and how you use screens

- Reducing digital noise and interruptions

- Making room for rest, connection, and reflection

What it doesn’t mean:

- A productivity contest

- Going 100% off-grid (unless you want to)

- Judging others (or yourself)

5 Ways to Start a Simple, Sustainable Digital Detox

1. Set Screen-Free Hours

Pick windows of time where your phone is off-limits
(like during dinner, the first hour after waking up, or an hour before bed)

Pro Tip: Use Do Not Disturb or Focus Modes to set this on autopilot or schedule select times to go DND.

2. Remove the Daily Distractions

Delete or offload apps you habitually open without thinking (looking at you, Instagram).

Bonus Tip: Move addictive apps off your main home screen.
Even just one folder deeper can help you pause to think about it before tapping.

3. Set a 1-Tab Rule

Limit your multitasking. Keep only one browser tab open at a time when you're working or browsing.
Why it works: Reduces the overwhelm and helps your brain focus on a single task at a time.

4. Make Your Phone Less Appealing

Switch to grayscale, turn off non-essential notifications, or use a simple background to reduce the “dopamine hit” that keeps you scrolling.

Design your digital space like you would your home: calm and uncluttered.

5. Replace Screen Time With Real Time

Instead of just “stopping” screen use, swap in something else:

- Go for a walk without your phone

- Bake a holiday recipe with music instead of a podcast

- Write holiday cards by hand

- Play a board game with your kids or partner

Reminder: This isn’t about doing more. It’s about trading distractions for presence.

Why It Matters (Especially Now)

Your time is your most valuable asset. It's the one thing that can’t be refunded, returned, or recharged like a battery. The more digitally distracted we are, the more of that time we give away without realizing it.

The holidays give you a chance to reset.

To decide what you want to remember from this season.
To be more intentional with the people you love.
To create space in your schedule and in your mind.

You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

Delegation is one of the smartest tools in any digital detox. When someone else is handling the details: errands, returns, travel prep, holiday gifting, you don’t need to stay constantly “on.”

That’s where we come in.

Whether you want a full personal assistant experience or just someone to get the clutter off your plate (and out of your inbox), Queen of To Do helps you reclaim and protect your time.

Want to stay offline without letting everything fall behind? Let us help you make space for what matters.

Contact us or follow us on social media for more intentional living tips, hacks, and inspiration.