Dr. Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri 
If your mind were a garden, your smartphone would be both the sunshine and the weeds. It brings light, the information, connection, opportunity—but, left unchecked, it can overgrow everything else, choking your focus and draining your peace.
We are living in the most connected era in human history, yet millions feel more distracted, anxious, and restless than ever. From the moment we wake, our thumbs scroll before our feet touch the floor. We eat with screens, walk with screens, even fall asleep to screens. The problem is not the technology itself—it’s the absence of boundaries.
A digital detox is not about abandoning your devices entirely; it’s about reclaiming your attention, your mental space, and your ability to be fully present in your own life.
The Cost of Constant Connection
Research shows that the average person checks their phone over 150 times a day. This constant interruption keeps the brain in a state of low-level stress, reducing our ability to concentrate deeply on any one thing.
Physically, excessive screen time strains the eyes, disrupts sleep by suppressing melatonin, and contributes to neck and back pain—now called “tech neck.” Mentally, it feeds comparison, shortens attention spans, and fuels anxiety.
In Nigeria, where mobile data is relatively affordable and social media is a major source of news, networking, and entertainment, the temptation to be “always on” is enormous. But like eating too much sugar, constant digital consumption leaves you jittery, unfocused, and craving more.
Signs You May Need a Digital Detox
• You reach for your phone without realising it.
• You feel anxious or restless when you can’t check messages.
• You scroll late into the night, sacrificing sleep.
• You find it hard to read a book or hold a conversation without checking your phone.
• You often feel mentally drained, despite not doing physically demanding work.
If these sound familiar, your attention span and mental clarity may already be paying the price.
The Benefits of Stepping Back
Just like the body benefits from fasting, the mind benefits from moments without constant digital input. A digital detox can:
• Restore focus and productivity.
• Improve mood and reduce anxiety.
• Strengthen real-life relationships.
• Enhance creativity and problem-solving.
• Improve sleep quality.
When your mind is not constantly bombarded by notifications, it can breathe, reflect, and process experiences more deeply.
How to Start Your Digital Detox
You don’t have to disappear for a month in the mountains. Small, intentional steps can make a huge difference.
1. Morning Mindfulness – Resist the urge to check your phone in the first 30–60 minutes after waking. Use the time for prayer, stretching, journaling, or breakfast without screens.
2. Scheduled Check-Ins – Set specific times to check messages and social media rather than responding instantly to every notification.
3. Tech-Free Meals – Eat without phones or TV. Use the time to connect with family or enjoy the flavors of your food.
4. Digital-Free Zones – Keep screens out of the bedroom to protect sleep quality.
5. One Screen-Free Day a Week – Dedicate a day or half-day to offline activities: nature walks, hobbies, or face-to-face conversations.
6. Declutter Your Digital Space – Unfollow accounts that drain your energy, delete unused apps, and turn off non-essential notifications.
The Nigerian Context – Balancing Online and Offline
In a country where social media drives activism, business, and education, going completely offline isn’t practical for most. But we can create healthy boundaries. Entrepreneurs can batch content creation. Students can set designated study times without their phones nearby. Families can institute “no-phone” hours in the evenings.
The goal is not disconnection, it’s intentional connection. You control the tool; it doesn’t control you.
Our devices are like powerful medicine, lifesaving in the right dose, toxic in excess. A digital detox is not about rejecting technology but about remembering that your attention is your most valuable resource. Where your attention goes, your life follows.
Reclaiming your inner peace in a screen-heavy world starts with one conscious choice: to look up. Up from the screen, up into the eyes of a loved one, up into the beauty of the present moment. The world beyond your phone is still here waiting for you to notice it.
Dr. MAYMUNAH YUSUF KADIRI (aka DR. MAY) popularly referred to as “The Celebrity Shrink,” is a multiple award winning Mental Health Physician, Advocate & Coach. She is the convener of “The Mental Health Conference” and the Medical Director and Psychiatrist-In-Chief at Pinnacle Medical Services, Dr. Kadiri is a dynamic Consultant Neuro-Psychiatrist and a Fellow of the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria (FMCPsych) with almost 20 years’ experience as a practicing Physician.