He had a long day in the office today. 

As he settled into the couch, his thoughts started drifting, thinking about the school fee he had to pay, and the upcoming parent-teacher meeting he had to attend at the school. Just then his phone made a familiar notification sound. He instinctively picked up the phone. 

He got engrossed in reading an email from a new client, complaining about the lack of prompt support from his team. He immediately forwarded that email to the support team and also left a harsh note for them on the instant messenger of the office. Annoyed, he went back to his phone, this time scrolling through his social media feeds, mindlessly.

He never noticed when his mother came looking for him, stood next to him for a few seconds, and then seeing him engrossed in his phone, she walked back slowly, telling herself:

He is still at work. I will talk to him tomorrow.

But "tomorrow" became a pattern! 

A few weeks later, Neil sat at the dinner table, his mother already gone to sleep. He realized he couldn’t remember the last time he had dinner with his mother. He could not recall the last time he had a conversation with her that was not rushed, or the last time he actually looked into her eyes. 

He was connected to the world digitally. But he didn't realize he needed a digital detox until his phone became a wall between him and his mother.

- - - - -

This is not just about Neil’s mother. It could have been his spouse, who wanted to have just a light conversation with him, but seeing him on his phone, she, too, reached out to hers, and started checking the latest feeds on her timeline. 

Or, it could have been his son, who wanted to share an interesting incident that happened in his school. Seeing him engrossed in his phone, he went back to his room, and, feeling lonely, started playing the video game he no longer wanted to play. Worse, his son thought the phone held something more special than he was to his parents!

This is not the story just about Neil either. This is the story about each one of us in this overly digital world! 

We are connected to the world digitally, all the time. But we lack something that is very fundamental to our happiness, fundamental to the quality of our life experience. 

We lack space. We lack space in our life like never before! 

Moderating screen time and reclaiming space is important from a health standpoint also. According to a study, teenagers with higher non-schoolwork screen usage were more likely to experience a series of adverse health outcomes, including an irregular sleep routine, weight concerns, depression, and anxiety symptoms among others.¹

It is time to reclaim that space. 

Simple steps to start your digital detox

And the good news is that you don’t need a retreat, or a radical lifestyle change to begin a digital detox. Small, concrete steps make a difference over time. Eat one meal a day without your phone: taste the food, experience the silence. Keep devices out of the bedroom: your sleep will thank you. Journal for five minutes offline, capturing your thoughts without distractions. Try a “no‑phone Sunday” and see what insights emerge.

These simple practices balance your space element daily. They restore peace, deepen your presence, spark clarity, and realign direction. You will notice your partner’s laugh, you will experience the joy of a morning walk, you will be there to listen to your child when they utter their first word. You will get your moments back! 

Reclaim your space. And embark on a journey of personal growth. 

Is Space your defining element? Take our Personal Growth Assessment and find out. 

1: Associations Between Screen Time Use and Health Outcomes Among US Teenagers