The Tamesis
Digital detox – as in getting rid of all the gadgets and gizmos that dominate our lives – is a very comforting thought. There are countless notifications to stay on top of, countless new apps to master at work, and new memes to despair about (we don’t know what “67” is either).
Whether it’s apps, accessories or the technology itself, accumulate them all thing It’s draining our mental energy. Adopting a selective mindset is key and will keep us all in good standing in the coming year. And, crucially, digital detox doesn’t necessarily mean going into burner phone mode. From inbox management to limiting screen time, recycling old devices and developing effective tab-closing habits, digital wellness comes in all shapes and sizes.
Fashion Health coach Adrienne Adhami and lifestyle physician Dr. Aileen Alexander break down how we can detox and declutter from the digital space in 2026.
Is cluttered digital space a common problem?
Adhami says the need for a digital reset is more common than you might think and is an issue that many people overlook. “The challenge is that digital clutter doesn’t confront you the way physical clutter does,” she explains. “You can ignore it for longer, but it’s still draining your mental energy.” This applies to cluttered inboxes, unread messages, and endless tabs, which all create low-level cognitive noise. “Because we can’t see it firsthand, we underestimate the extent to which it affects our attention, emotions and decision-making.”
Alexander agreed, adding that we should all be talking about it more. “Cluttered digital spaces are a huge problem that has crept up on us but has not yet been seen or recognized as a real problem,” she said. “We spend so much of our lives on multiple devices — I’ve seen it firsthand and experienced it firsthand. With a little baby at home…things just pile up.”
Is it difficult to organize a digital space?
This is a very personal concern. Some people are content with 3,254 unread emails, while others can stay tuned. “Everyone is different, and some of us are visual learners,” Alexander said. “I think we can get lost and distracted in digital spaces, which makes organizing very difficult.” Another hurdle to overcome is “when we organize digital spaces, the speed at which we clean things up can create clutter very quickly.”
Adhami resonates with this and says “it’s more difficult to organize digital spaces” [than the physical] Precisely because it is intangible. “So it makes sense that trying to manage unlimited amounts of information without visual cues or physical boundaries can be overwhelming. “Our brains have evolved to respond to objects in front of us rather than invisible folders and virtual chats. “
How do you cope with being overwhelmed in the digital space?
The good news is that there is yes Practical steps to help organize your digital space. Adami suggested mass culling rather than organizational partitioning. “You don’t need to color-code or create micro-segmentation.” Instead, she said:sStart by turning off unnecessary notifications, deleting apps you haven’t used in months, and unsubscribing from any apps you rarely open. “Digital clarity is not about organization per se, it is about elimination.
