One Tech Tip: Unplug to reconnect with loved ones over the holidays

With the holiday season underway, a growing tech tip urges people to spend time with loved ones offline rather than chasing notifications, likes, or messages. The idea, often framed as a seasonal reset, emphasizes stepping away from screens during festive meals, gift exchanges, and quiet evenings to reconnect in person. The guidance stresses that a deliberate pause from digital life can support mental well-being and stronger personal connections during a time that traditionally calls for togetherness.

Guidance highlights built‑in tools on smartphones that can help curb digital distraction. On both iPhone and Android devices, there are Focus or Do Not Disturb modes designed to block interruptions during specific activities like sleeping, reading, or spending time with family. Users can customize Focus settings to block particular apps or silence nonessential alerts, and they can combine this with broader screen‑time controls that monitor usage patterns. As a practical target, some suggest limiting social‑media time to about 20 minutes per day, while others advocate more stringent steps such as rendering the screen grayscale by adjusting color filters. Android’s Bedtime Mode, when enabled, also turns the display gray on compatible devices.

Another strategy is to temporarily remove apps that are time sinks. The idea is to reduce friction to open addictive services and create a moment of withdrawal that prompts a mental reset. If needed, apps can be reinstalled later. The guidance also notes that outdoor time can counterbalance indoor, screen‑centric days. When winter weather makes outdoor activity less appealing, stepping outside—even briefly and away from Wi‑Fi signals—can benefit both mental health and physical well‑being. The practice is sometimes described as forest bathing, and it has inspired digital tools designed to encourage real‑world engagement alongside screen limits.

For readers inclined to a stronger nudge, there is an app aimed at forcing a disconnect: Touch Grass. The app’s premise is to compel users to go outside and capture a photo of themselves touching real grass. It offers a free tier that blocks two apps, with optional paid plans to block all apps. Reported prices include about $6 per month or $50 per year for the full unlock. At present, Touch Grass is available for iPhone, with copycat variants claimed for both iOS and Android, though users should verify features and availability in their region. The broader idea is that enforced outdoor time can reduce the pull of time‑sinks and help restore a healthier device relationship during the holiday season.

Beyond app controls, the season is a natural prompt to favor offline, low‑tech activities. Writing holiday cards or longhand notes can feel novel in a world of rapid digital messages. Research into handwriting suggests cognitive and neurological benefits, including improved memory and deeper processing of information. Encouraging someone to receive a handwritten note can foster personal connection in a way that quick texts cannot. For readers seeking ideas for gifts or self‑improvement, books remain a perennial option: long‑form reading supports focus, empathy, and concentration in ways that scrolling through short posts rarely does. In this spirit, some suggest asking for a gift like a time‑lock vault to restrain access to devices for a set period, or even a brick phone that emphasizes voice calls and texts over data use.

If you’re unsure what to ask for this year, some outlets highlight lists of the year’s best new reads or invite you to explore recommendations from friends and publishers. The point of these recommendations is not to shame technology use but to offer mindful alternatives that can enrich conversations, reflection, and gratitude during the holidays. The overarching message is simple: balance. Tech tips, screen‑time limits, and offline activities can coexist with connectivity, as long as the emphasis remains on sustainable habits and meaningful personal interactions. As one tip reviewer noted, the goal is not to vilify devices but to make deliberate choices about when and how to use them so that the season’s celebrations—and the people who make them—stay at the center.