August is the time for summer holidays, staycations and digital detoxing. But in the industry that never sleeps, how did our tech-obsessed team fair? Read on to find out…
We all know the benefits of limiting screen time outside of work. Clearing your mind, sleeping better, creating more balance and boosting creativity are just some of the ways that switching off from technology can improve your wellbeing. We naturally love everything digital, but we’re also all about balance here at WebBox. Which is why — accompanied by varying screen time levels — most of the WebBox team managed to escape for a break this summer. From local getaways to overseas breaks, here’s where the team escaped, and how much they really digitally detoxed…
The Staycationers
Keeping it Welsh, our MD, Will, gathered his family for a week at Bluestone National Park in Wales. Though he spent most of the time enjoying the outdoors with his family and eating too much, the WebBox owner admits that he did take his laptop and checked his phone “too many times” for this to count as a true digital detox. He did, however, complete with an intermittent WiFi signal and his daughter’s insistence on using the laptop solely for Peppa Pig viewing!
Digital Detox Rating: 5
Our Head of Digital, Rhod, also stayed in the UK this summer – embarking on not one but two (yes two!) staycations. His first was a camping trip to the Forest of Dean with 25 other families (we’ll let you decide if that sounds like a break or not). He also escaped with his wife and kids to a lodge near Snowdonia National Park. Though he spent quality time with his family hiking, hot-tubbing and taking in some of Wales’ most spectacular scenery, the digital guru admits that he did take his phone and laptop. He does insist however that the poor signal meant he didn’t “check them quite so much”.
Digital Detox Rating: 6
WebBox Marketing Manager, Tom, also joined the staycation crowd with a week’s break in Cornwall. Leaving the laptop behind, he did take his phone but admits that the beaches, BBQs, walks and drinking (which, we heard resulted in an impromptu lake swim!) meant he wasn’t constantly checking his notifications.
Digital Detox Rating: 8
Digital Marketing Manager, Tom W, also escaped with his partner and his laptop to visit family in Kent for a few days. Despite catching up with his nearest and dearest and visiting a cat café no less, our Google pro admits that his screen time app revealed he checked his phone 120 times per day.
Digital Detox Rating: 3
The Vacationers
Our Senior Digital Designer, Graham, swapped creativity for culture with a week in Tunisia this summer. Minus his laptop, he spent the time soaking up the sights. The highlights included dolphin spotting, visiting a pirate ship and checking out the Amphitheatre of El Jem — the largest colosseum in North Africa. This was all set to the backdrop of some extra vigilant, machine gun-carrying, tourist security (the resort was the subject of a previous terrorist attack). Inside the confines of his resort, the digital expert did admit that free WiFi meant he checked his phone more than he normally would on vacation.
Digital Detox Rating: 7
Front End Developer, Craig, also jetted off this summer. The web wizard spent a week on the Greek island of Crete with his girlfriend. With no laptop, email notifications switched off (extra brownie points there), and a spot in the sunshine next to the all-inclusive pool bar, Craig’s the clear winner of the Digital Detox crown this summer.
Digital Detox Rating: 9
The One’s Left Holding The Fort
Being in an industry that never slows down, it was inevitable that some of the team had to stay behind at WebBox HQ. Our Web Developers, Adam and Matteo, stayed behind to keep everything running smoothly — and our clients happy — while also restoring the balance of the summer holiday screen time quota.
Digital Detox Rating: -10
Need some digital detoxing in your life, too? There are plenty of apps and digital wellness tools that will help you track, adapt and enhance the way you use — and step away from — your devices.
Mac launched Screen Time in 2018 to help users track their time using various apps, social networks and games. It also lets you set usage limits so you can’t overdose on screen time. Android’s Digital Wellbeing app lets you monitor how frequently you use various apps and check your notifications. It also lets you set limits for each app so you can better manage your screen time.
Or, if you’d simply like to offload the tech duties to someone else so you can fully optimise your digital detox, our digital professionals are always on hand to take on the burden of screen time.