I recently traveled to Switzerland to visit the sky-high wellness resort Bürgenstock, overlooking Lake Lucerne. As the funicular carried me up the mountainside, I missed the surreal scenery passing by because I was frantically trying to check a work email that wouldn't load. I finally looked up in frustration. What was I even doing, stressing over something trivial in an alpine paradise? I switched my phone to do-not-disturb mode and kept it that way for the rest of the trip.
I'm hardly alone in feeling the stress of constant connectivity, particularly when it comes to work. According to a recent workplace mental health poll of adults employed full-time at companies with more than 100 employees, 53% reported suffering job burnout, while 39% said they felt so overwhelmed at work that it interfered with their ability to do their jobs.
With such unsettling levels of work-related stress, something has to give, and more people are embracing a new coping mechanism called "deadzoning": unplugging while on holiday by going off-grid or semi-off-grid to mentally disconnect from work demands, texts, social media and doomscrolling. The goal is to intentionally remove yourself from the relentless cognitive demand that digital life creates.
"We're seeing more guests of all ages take advantage of our remote location and truly unplug while they stay with us," says Will Hensley, general manager of The Meadows on Rock Creek, a guest ranch with limited cell service set on 2,000 acres in western Montana. After all, Hensley jokes, "You can't hold your phone when you're fly-fishing or horseback riding!"
A recent study explored what happened when participants spent two weeks on digital detoxes, cutting screen time and replacing it with offline activities. The results showed measurable benefits, including lower stress and anxiety, better emotional balance and even healthier heart-rate variability.
What deadzoning looks like can vary from person to person, and it really doesn't have to mean disappearing completely. Whether you want to go fully unreachable or just keep your phone on airplane mode except during designated check-in times, the goal is ultimately the same: intentionally create enough mental space to actually feel away.
Sometimes staying offline is a lot easier said than done, which is why environment matters. It's far easier to disconnect when your surroundings encourage it. I once took a scenic train across Peru with no Wi-Fi on board, and connected with my fellow passengers in a way we wouldn't have if our phones worked as more than cameras.
Before your trip, set boundaries by reminding co-workers, friends and family what your availability will actually look like. For example, tell colleagues you won't be checking email at all, or let friends know that you will be taking a break from social media and may not respond to messages.
Creating friction can help break the scrolling habit. Deleting social media apps before a trip and logging out of accounts like work email are simple ways to start. You can even just leave the phone and all its enticements in your hotel room, opting to go analog with a real camera and good book instead.
Properties are increasingly catering to those who want to digitally detox. At Castle Hot Springs in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, for example, cell service is minimal and Wi-Fi is available in just a few select areas.