Suicide Prevention India Foundation
SPIF Resources Library
Digital Self-Care: The Complete Guide
What is digital self care?
Digital self care can be defined as the conscious efforts taken by an individual to reduce usage of technology and digital devices to ensure one's physical and mental well being. Given how vastly technology is involved in our lives, it is important to take care of oneself, so that one stays physically and mentally fit.
10 Tips to Practise Digital Self Care
- 1. Understand the Impact Technology has crept into today's world and nobody is able to live a day without it. The use of digital devices and applications have increased so much that no one is able to understand how much of a hold it has on a person. Understanding the use of technology and the impact it has on a person is the first step towards digital self care.
- 2. Proper Use of Security In order to prevent a leak of information and data, it is important to properly use the security features in one's device. Have passwords for all social media accounts, backup the data that one has, and use antivirus softwares to ensure protection of the device.
- 3. Turn Off Push Notifications One of the biggest barriers to the productivity of the individual is the notifications that they receive on a timely basis. Pushing off notifications not only improves productivity, but also ensures that there is limited screen time.
- 4. Device-Free Mornings & Evenings It is important to start one's day without any devices. One way to do that is to make sure that one's bedroom is a no tech zone. Start and end the day device free, so that one feels more present and grounded.
- 5. Practise a Digital Detox Having a tech free day has so many benefits starting from spending time on oneself to spending time with others, boosted productivity and exploring nature or pursuing a new hobby.
- 6. Meet Friends Offline Since the COVID pandemic emerged, people have gone the way of connecting via social media or instant messaging. Keep away your devices and meet up with friends and colleagues with whom you are constantly connected via the internet.
- 7. Set Digital Boundaries By using the timer given on social media apps and other digital devices, setting a limit to the amount of time that one spends on digital devices ensures that one isn't too engrossed in it.
- 8. Get Someone Involved Having an accountability buddy ensures that one has company and also ensures that one doesn't go back to digital devices more often than required.
- 9. Be Present Being present would essentially imply being mindful and being where the person is. Designate family or home time, so that more time is spent with one's family. Dedicate time for oneself as well.
- 10. Spring Clean Your Apps Delete all the applications that are not in use. Mindlessly scrolling through apps that are not productive and deleting them should increase one's time spent outside.
Resource Reference
Suicide Prevention India Foundation. (2026). Digital Self-Care: The Complete Guide. SPIF Resources Library. DOI: [Pending]