HOW long could you go without your phone? Would you pay someone to take it off you for a while? I recently handed all my devices away for 72 hours – filling the time instead with yoga, hiking and paddle boarding.

I was on a weekend winter digital detox trip in the Trossachs with Off Grid Yoga, a retreats business specialising in digital detoxes. Guests are not allowed access to any screens, devices or TV. You get a disposable camera and a notebook for mindfully capturing the important moments.

Off Grid Yoga was founded by Falkirk-born Lizzie McGhee, a yoga instructor and former high school teacher based in Leith. The retreats offer the ultimate breathing space, a journey out of the city and escape from information overload. The itineraries include yoga, meditation, vegan meals, hiking, paddle boarding and wild swimming – or the liberty to spend your screen-free time however you like.

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Some may ask, can ye no just put your phone away and go for a walk? It is not always that simple. Many of us have jobs, social lives, hobbies and side-gigs that depend on us being visible and responsive online.

READ MORE: Scottish Panoramas: How to stand on top of the world – without trying too hardThe professional importance of social media makes it easy for creatives and freelancers to get lost in self commodification. Showcasing your personality and interests online can promote your personal brand, supporting your career or business. The temptation to capitalise on our leisure time is pervasive – particularly if we’ve spent money on an experience that reflects the values we explore in our work.

“When I went self-employed I had to dive into the world of self-promotion and marketing,” McGhee tells me in the pub. “What was once for recreation is now for business, so all the boundaries have kind of blurred together. Suddenly I had more reason to be online so I was unknowingly building habits of addiction.”

Technology began draining her, disrupting real-life connections and giving her “comparativitus” (a made-up word used to describe online comparison culture). “It was just watching friends and people that I don’t even know living much more colourful lives,” McGhee added: “More sexy love lives, perfect skin, they’re all smashing their goals – because that’s all we ever share.

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I think I knew deep down that I did have a lot going for me but my overuse of social media dampened that.”

McGhee has been teaching Yoga for five years. I ask her how screen time affects our bodies. “We’re all sitting so much more. The tendency is a rounded spine, compressed back of the neck, jutting chin, rounded shoulders.” We laugh, realising our postures are in this exact position as she speaks.

If screen use has increased dramatically over the past decade, the pandemic made it unavoidable. Fellow retreat guest Tammy Neillings runs a hair studio and was unable to work during the lockdowns.

“I was definitely on my phone way more than usual and even more so when I went back to work… I use my phone for everything. I manage my schedule and appointments, I listen to music and podcasts, I manage my business and personal social media, speak to friends and family … Basically my whole life.”

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Fiona Giles, a student and academic services manager, also felt overwhelmed. “With all the working from home I was aware I had developed some serious screen addiction. It was so hard to switch off.” Whilst on the retreat, Fiona planned to “exhale, step away and re-centre”.

As a digital communications specialist interested in mental health, I have long been protective of my boundaries. Signing up for the trip, I was initially more interested in the yoga classes and paddle boarding than digitally detoxing. By the end of the Saturday though, I became aware of a buzzing in my mind that had begun to ease.

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The most rewarding part was time slowing down – so much was available to us without periods of scrolling, messaging or posting. “I learnt that it’s really important to be present in the moment and everything doesn’t have to be documented … We were all together – present, chatting and just enjoying it,” said Tammy. “Lizzie taught me to respect my space and time more.”

One of Fiona’s highlights was getting “the opportunity to meet, connect and belly laugh with other humans. It was wonderfully liberating and I felt so light and free. Time expanded without technology”.

As our lives become increasingly entangled with devices and apps designed for convenience rather than wellbeing, we have to continue redefining how, when and why we use them. While I cannot chuck my screens altogether, I am sitting down regularly to reflect on my habits. As Lizzie said to me, “I want to make sure that I live a life I genuinely love, rather than a life that just looks good online.”

To find out more about Lizzie’s digital detox retreats, visit www.offgridyogaretreats.org