Welcome back to the third and final part of our Spring Clean Series!

In Part One, we looked at how our devices can impact our physical and mental health and got to work in Part Two with our guide to decluttering your devices.

I hope your phone (and brain!) are feeling a little more organised, your workspace a little comfier and your cybersecurity strengthened.

Whether you’re signed up to the 30 Day Ultimate Digital Health Kick, considering it or simply curious, in this post we’ll look at strategies to create healthy digital habits and make your device your very own business and health coach.

The Spring Clean series - Creating Healthy Digital Habits

1. Build in some boundaries for Mindful Device Usage

Create designated tech-free zones and times in your day to establish healthy boundaries with technology. Here's how:

Meal times: Make meals a space for connection and mindful eating. Keep devices in another room to focus purely on your food and friends.
Morning routine: Reserve the first hour after waking for activities off screen like making a pile of French toast, practicing your pilates or playing with your cat. This helps set a positive tone for the day instead of immediately diving into emails and social media.
Evening wind-down: The last hour before bed should be device-free to improve sleep quality. The blue light from screens can disrupt melatonin production, while work emails or social media can increase anxiety and make it harder to relax. Get into a good book, have a gossip with your partner or write down your to-do list for tomorrow.

Use these tech-free periods to spend time with your faves, do something you love or roll around in the grass if you’re really leaning into to the wellness vibes… Start with one designated tech-free period and gradually expand as the habit becomes more natural.

Sidenote: In the Ultimate Digital Health Kick we include some super useful templates for building and implementing boundaries.

2. Enhance your Productivity

Transform your devices into productivity tools rather than brain sappers by:

Using time-tracking apps to understand your digital habits
Apps like RescueTime or Toggl can monitor how you spend time on your devices, providing detailed insights into which apps and websites consume most of your attention. This data helps identify patterns and areas for improvement in your routine.
Implementing the Pomodoro Technique with digital timers
Break your work into focused 25-minute intervals, followed by short breaks. Especially useful for those tasks you’re not looking forward to! Apps like Focus@Will or Forest can help maintain this rhythm, improving concentration and preventing fatigue while making your work sessions more productive.
Using note-taking and organization apps effectively
Tools like Notion, Evernote, or OneNote can centralise your world and if you’re anything like me - keep you sane. Create a structured system with tags, folders, and cross-references to quickly access important information.
Setting up automation for routine tasks
Use tools like IFTTT, Zapier, or native app automations to streamline repetitive digital tasks. For example, automatically save email attachments to cloud storage, schedule social media posts, or organise incoming emails into specific folders.

3. Try out some Wellness Tools & Tips

Leverage technology to improve your well-being rather than take from it:

Use blue light filters and dark mode
Reduce eye strain and improve sleep quality by enabling these features on all your devices. Blue light filters automatically adjust your screen's color temperature based on the time of day, while dark mode reduces overall screen brightness and can be especially helpful during evening hours.
Install ergonomic reminder apps
Apps like Break Timer or Stand Up! will remind you to maintain proper posture, take regular breaks, and do simple stretches. This helps prevent repetitive strain injuries and reduces the physical stress of prolonged device use.
Try meditation and mindfulness apps
Applications like Headspace, Calm, or Insight Timer offer guided meditations, breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices. These can help reduce digital anxiety, improve focus, and create healthy breaks in your screen time.
Use fitness tracking features
Leverage built-in health apps or wearable devices to monitor your physical activity, sleep patterns, and overall wellness. Set daily movement goals and use reminders to stay active, especially during long periods of desk work.

4. Be strict on your work/life boundaries

Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life:

Set specific work hours for email checking
Designate 2-3 set times during your workday for checking and responding to emails. This prevents constant interruptions and helps maintain focus on important tasks.
Create separate user profiles for work and personal use
Maintain different profiles on your devices to create a clear distinction between work and personal activities. This helps prevent work tasks from bleeding into personal time and vice versa.
Use different devices for different purposes when possible
If feasible, maintain separate devices for work and personal use. This creates a physical boundary that helps your brain switch between professional and personal modes.

Digital wellness isn't about completely disconnecting – it's about creating a healthier, more intentional relationship with technology. By making small changes, you can transform your digital environment from a source of stress and distraction into a tool for productivity, creativity, and connection.

Spring cleaning isn't a one-time event but rather an ongoing process of maintaining healthy digital habits. Regular check-ins and adjustments to your digital routine will help ensure that technology remains a positive force in your life rather than a drain on your well-being.

Start your digital spring clean today, and experience the benefits of a more balanced, intentional approach to technology use. Your mind, body, and productivity will thank you.