Your own retreat, built into everyday life.
Digital-detox retreats are lovely and expensive, and most of us can’t vanish for a week. The Tech Cleanse™ gives you a structure to run your own, without getting fired or ghosting your family.
Start slow
Ease in so the change sticks. The real power of a cleanse is the habit it leaves behind.
It stacks
Each day’s step carries into the next. By day ten you have built a whole new routine.
Make it yours
Adjust the timing to your job and family. Aim for at least a week so you can feel the difference.
Know what you’re cleansing.
Most of what we do on our devices falls into a few buckets. Take a quick honest look at where your time goes, on your phone and your laptop.
- Texting & chat
- Phone calls
- Browsing & shopping
- Games
- Social media
- Photos
- News & weather
- Other apps (stocks, dating, fitness…)
Before You Begin
- Tell family, friends, and your boss or team what you are doing and why
- Set an email auto-reply letting people know you are checking at set times
- Get an analog watch (or kitchen timer) for alarms and timers, so you do not need to unlock your phone
- Remember the cleanse applies to all your devices: phone, laptop, tablet, and TV
- Note how you can still be reached for real emergencies
An email auto-reply you can use:
I’m doing a 10-day #TechCleanse, so I’m checking email a couple of times a day. I’ll get back to you soon. If it’s urgent, please call.
The ten days
A summary. The book has the full stories, reasoning, and tips.
- 1
Tune Up & Schedule Email
A calmer home screen means fewer accidental detours, and email is the habit most of us check on reflex.
tip: If your job needs you reachable, start with "top of every hour" and stretch it to every two hours.
- 2
Message Moderation
Most texts can wait an hour. Replying on your own rhythm breaks the always-on feeling.
tip: Pair each message window with a stretch and a glass of water.
- 3
Social Media Distance
Feeds eat the most time and rarely need you. Easing off every platform together keeps one from filling in for another.
tip: Your profiles are not going anywhere. Logging back in feels better when it is rare.
- 4
Notifications Off & App Limits
Every banner pulls you away from where you are. A budget turns vague scrolling into a choice.
tip: An inexpensive analog watch with a timer tells the time without tempting you to unlock anything.
- 5
Write a Letter
You are letting go of some digital connection, so put some analog connection back.
tip: Buy all your stationery and stamps at once so the daily letter is easy.
- 6
Get a Journal
A bound notebook invites a kind of thinking the notes app does not. It is also a lovely place to notice how the cleanse feels.
tip: First thing in the morning with coffee, or right before bed, are both great writing times.
- 7
No Map, Say Hello
Asking for directions is the easiest icebreaker there is, and it makes you actually see where you are.
tip: People who are sitting down are often happier to chat than people rushing somewhere.
- 8
Unplug Together
The cleanse is better with company. Make being present a game for the whole table, and hear a friend's voice instead of reading their texts.
tip: Choose a penalty that is fun: the first person to reach does the dishes, or buys dessert.
- 9
Trade Screen Time for a Skill
The point of the cleanse is not less screen. It is more life. Put the minutes you saved toward a skill.
tip: Try the offline timer: set it and do one analog thing until it chimes.
- 10
Re-Entry
This is about balance, not abstinence. Choose on purpose which habits stay with you.
tip: You will be surprised how often the honest answer to "can I take a break?" is yes.
Free to use. Pay what it was worth.
The cleanse and every tool here cost nothing to use. When your ten days are done, if it helped, you’re welcome to chip in whatever it felt worth to you. Any amount is OK, including nothing at all.
no pressure, ever
Begin today.
The planner walks you through every step with a checklist, a daily check-in, and space for notes.