N. Raghuraman's Column: A New Resolution 'Digital Detox' Is Becoming Popular in 2026

"Raghu, wait a moment, I am turning on the speaker and request you to repeat what you have just said. Anil Mirashi, a successful businessman who runs an industry in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, said this. It was nine in the morning and I had no idea who else would be listening to me except Anil. I reduced the intensity of my words, but didn't want to diminish the banter between childhood friends. Yes, Anil is my classmate, so I said, 'Bastard, remember on this day about 38 years ago you got married and ran away leaving this group of friends in the middle? Do you have any idea what that aimless meeting outside the Dinshaw Ice Cream Shop at Dharampeth Square in Nagpur looked like at 9 pm, when people left one after the other? Like you, in the same year, three other people left the group doing the same thing (eloping with the girl) and the 9 o'clock meeting ended abruptly. Still, today I congratulated you on your wedding anniversary because you have treated the girl who became our sister-in-law like a queen. So, Happy Anniversary to both of you. There was a loud laugh on the phone from the other side as some of my classmates had gathered at Anil's house this Tuesday and some were on their way. I was one of the few people who could not turn up due to scheduled work. One in every four people in my school and other circle of friends have taken a new resolution this year. Digital detox is becoming a popular New Year's resolution among traditional resolutions like weight loss, exercising and skipping drinks. That is, meeting people in the real world instead of spending time on screen, or talking to a friend on the phone instead of an hour of doom scrolling. How exhausting is the use of social media? A 2021 study found that just 20 minutes of scrolling makes us mentally exhausted and reduces our ability to exercise. A 2022 paper concluded that 30 minutes of social media use before a game causes mental fatigue and affects the hand-eye coordination of outstanding volleyball players. So stop blaming yourself for a lack of willpower or self-control. Those who are understanding the increasing impact of technology on mental health are taking steps to protect themselves. Here are some of them. 1. Some people have downloaded the free version of the 'Opal' app, which allows you to block websites or limit screen time on iOS and Android. 2. Some people have fixed take-free zones and take-free time at home and increased physical interactions. 3. Spending time with family on a Saturday or Sunday in some months by staying completely screen-free. A study published in the international medical journal JAMA Network Open, which publishes research on clinical care, found that when young adults did a week of social media detox, their anxiety decreased by 16%, depression by 25% and insomnia by 14%. Average social media usage dropped from 2 hours to 30 minutes. But remember that time spent on the phone doesn't mean what you're doing, it's what you're not doing. Things like calling friends can strengthen your mental health and social relationships. Ending technology addiction can be like freedom. The idea is that until humans become adept at controlling addictive technology, the 'digital detox' that has been included as a resolution in 2026 will continue to be permanent in the coming years.