Given how attached most of us are to our smartphones, it’s hard to believe that these devices have only been in the mainstream since the 2010s. That’s a surprisingly short period of time in which to get pretty much the whole population hooked. Market insight specialists at Statista reckon around 95% of the UK population uses a smartphone. In the 16 to 24 age group, the numbers hit nearly 100%.
There’s plenty of science to explain why smartphones are unputdownable. Dopamine – the feel-good hormone – is at the root of the issue. It’s the brain’s reward neurotransmitter and whenever you check new notifications, watch a TikTok or post on Instagram, you get a dopamine hit. Which makes you feel pleasure and want to do it again.
The downsides of digital dependency
“Technology can be our best friend, and technology can also be the biggest party pooper of our lives. It interrupts our own story, interrupts our ability to have a thought or a daydream, to imagine something wonderful…” Steven Spielberg
The problems associated with tech are well-documented. The National Institute for Health and Care Research looked into problematic smartphone use (PSU) in teens and linked it with depression, anxiety and insomnia. At best, phone use can lead to distraction and inattention. In the long term, issues including low self-esteem, poor critical thinking, lack of physical activity and (ironically) underdeveloped social skills may arise.
Taking all of this into account, a digital detox sounds like an excellent – and essential – idea.
Taking a tech holiday
Like any strong attachment, smartphone dependency is challenging to break. You’ll find no end of suggestions for ways to do it, from setting time limits on apps and banning phones from bedrooms, to defining phone-free periods and taking up manual crafts or hobbies.
While there are lots of constructive, practical and well-intentioned ideas out there, there’s no doubt that changing lifelong, ingrained habits is a tough ask. A beneficial digital detox demands motivation and an environment in which success is possible. Trying to do it alone or in a setting where you’re bound to either miss your phone or be able to sneakily access it is going to be difficult. Which is where travel comes in.
Travel – without distraction
One very good way to give your students the opportunity to experience life without constant digital demands is to take them on expedition. We encourage groups to go completely tech-free, but even if you don’t, chances are you’ll find yourself in a signal dead-zone. Either way, this is the perfect opportunity for a detox: far from home, in an unfamiliar environment with plenty of activities and new experiences to grab everyone’s attention. While on expedition, your students will be well and truly out of their comfort zones anyway, so why not add an extra dimension?
Tech-free travel has lots of upsides:
- Undivided attention
- Undisturbed sleep
- Self-reliance and problem-solving – no Googling the answers!
- Group and individual communication – with teammates and locals
- Sensory awareness – without screens, the senses are free to absorb what’s all around
- Mindfulness and presence – physical activity without constant mental overstimulation allows students to be in the moment and not in their heads
Set for success
While adults can remember a time before smartphones, kids and teens can’t. For them, there is no version of reality in which they don’t have a phone. Time spent on expedition may be the first opportunity many young people have had to realistically explore a chunk of time without their phones. It could be the first time they’ve seen that life goes on – and can be better – without the constant urge to check, scroll and post. The point isn’t to stop digital use altogether – that ship has sailed – but to demonstrate that taking a step back can be refreshing, for both teachers and students.
To set your group up for success, it’s important to have unanimous buy-in, to emphasise the benefits and to understand that some will struggle more than others. We’ve gone tech-free with lots of groups, so we can advise on how to do it and attest that it can be done if approached positively.
On expedition, we want students to look outward and learn from the real world, make connections with new people, share experiences and challenge themselves. Those who take the leap and travel without seeing their destination through the lens of a phone get the most out of the opportunity.
A note on safety
For many teens, phones are comfort blankets. They may well worry that without one, especially abroad, they’re not safe. That’s where STC Expeditions’ rigorous safety protocols come into play. All of our trips are scrupulously planned and risk-assessed. We have a safety management system in place and every group carries satellite, radio and/or mobile comms equipment that’s suited to the destination.
Want to learn more about tech-free expeditions? Get in touch – we’re happy to discuss the practicalities, our experiences and your perfect unplugged destination.