The 16 Best Tech Detox Products of 2021

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Our Top Picks

FLOITTUY Twin Bell Alarm Clock with Backlight at Amazon

"Ideal if you don't want your phone to be the first thing you see when you wake up, this alarm clock keeps radiation at bay."

HASHI Weekly Planners Pad at Walmart

"If you prefer paper calendars over digital ones, this patterned option includes space to write your weekly schedule and reminders."

Lemome 2021 Monthly Wall Calendar at Amazon

"A no-nonsense option that can be hung on the wall due to its larger size, it offers plenty of lines for your writing."

The Ultimate Brain Health Puzzle Book for Adults by Phil Fraas at Walmart

"Instead of reaching for your phone the next time you're waiting in line, keep yourself entertained with this adult puzzle book."

Prismacolor Adult Coloring Kit at Amazon

"Color inside or outside the lines with this 29-piece coloring set that's sure to spark your creativity and help you unwind."

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport at Amazon

"Instead of relying on a search engine to learn about digital minimalism, you can reach for this read to discover the benefits."

The Five Minute Journal at Amazon

"Complete with prompts to simplify the process, the Five Minute Journal provides space for positive affirmations and reflection."

Minimalism Art Premium Hard Cover Notebook at Amazon

"Ideal if you prefer a prompt-free journal, this hardcover option offers plenty of space for free writing."

MindWare Sensory Genius Stress Balls at staples.com

"Whether you're restless or need a distraction, these stress balls simultaneously improve blood circulation and appease anxiety."

Sonos One Smart Speaker at Amazon

"A smart speaker that won't take up too much space on the counter, it delivers the news, plays your favorite music, and more."

Many of us spend the vast majority of our days tethered to our phones and computers. While work, family, and community obligations can make it difficult to minimize this level of connectivity, it’s important to find little ways to unplug more and enjoy some tech-free time each day.

Taking a break from screens and all the push notifications that demand your attention can feel like a much-needed breath of fresh air and a critical component of maintaining your mental health.

Luckily, there are lots of little changes you can make around your home, your desk, and your relaxation space that can make digital detoxing a bit easier and, dare we say it, fun.

Here are the best tech detox products on the market.

FLOITTUY Twin Bell Alarm Clock with Backlight

We’ve grown accustomed to using smartphones as alarm clocks, but that doesn’t mean that analog options no longer exist. This twin bell design is a much more aesthetically pleasing addition to your bedroom decor, and it makes it easy to check the hour and wake up on time each morning.

The real ringing bells are loud enough to stir even the deepest of sleepers, and the soft backlight and large Arabic typeface help you see the time even in the dark. It comes in six different colors and only requires a single AA battery.

HASHI Weekly Planners Pad

Hashi weekly planner pad — Courtesy of Walmart

Yes, digital planners can be mighty efficient, but they also keep you tied to your phone 24/7. Consider breaking down your weekly to-do’s with these cute weekly planner pads from HASHI. They fit seamlessly into your work desk flow, giving you a full view of the week ahead alongside playful patterns.

With plenty of memo writing space, you can easily organize your hectic schedule. The best part? You can recycle the top sheet at the end of a successful week and reveal a perfectly fresh slate for the one ahead.

Lemome 2021 Monthly Wall Calendar

Now, if you’re trying to get a more macro view of the bigger events occurring in your life, it can be more effective to organize them visually on a monthly wall calendar like this one from Lemome. It might not have cute puppies and kittens on it, but its focus on productivity helps you quickly and easily see when your weeks will ebb and flow throughout the month.

Never lose track of a doctor's appointment, a friend’s birthday, or a family celebration again with this simple, tech-free organization tool.

The Ultimate Brain Health Puzzle Book for Adults by Phil Fraas

Many people love turning to their devices to play games, but you don’t need a smartphone to enjoy a good puzzle. This particular book is full of crosswords, cryptograms, word searches, calcudoku, sudoku, and logic puzzles—plus clues, hints, and answer sheets if you get stuck.

Working on these puzzles will help keep your brain healthy, improving short-term memory, enhancing creative thinking, and more. Not to mention, you won’t experience nearly as much eye strain and screen fatigue as you normally would.

Prismacolor Adult Coloring Kit

Looking for another entertaining way to unwind that doesn’t involve your phone? Give adult coloring books a try! These pencils carry some of the most beautiful hues, and the accompanying coloring book gives you some of the prettiest templates to try. In a way, this style of coloring soothes that itch to scroll through images on Instagram or filter one of your own.

In the end, you have a beautiful book of your work that you can display in your home or save for yourself as you pick out your next coloring endeavor.

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Want to learn about the benefits of digital detoxing before going through with it? Consider this book your peak research resource. Cal Newport expertly lays out the beauty of the quiet moment and why it’s so critical for our tech-saturated world. He offers a thoughtful methodology that can help you decide what digital detox tools you want to use, for what purposes, and under what conditions.

By the end of the book, the idea of living like a “digital minimalist” won’t feel so far-fetched, and you’ll understand how to better use technology rather than let it use you.

The Five Minute Journal

When you decide to unplug a bit, you might need another outlet for your self-expression. Enter: the Five-Minute Journal. It’s a very small commitment for those who don’t love writing lengthy entries daily, and its focus on gratitude, good happenings, and positive affirmations gives you the perfect amount of perspective you need to stay present and pleased about doing so.

All it takes is five minutes at the beginning of the day and five minutes at the end of the day to put your devices aside and think about what you love most about your life.

Minimalism Art Premium Hard Cover Notebook

Now, if stepping away from all of your devices suddenly leaves your head flooded with thoughts, you can commit them to paper with this study, classic journaling notebook from Minimalism Art.

The thread-bound book opens flat for easy writing, and the notebook’s size is perfect for both your desk and for your on-the-go bag of choice. You can choose from a variety of colors and ruling styles, but all come with 122 beautifully numbered, ink-proof, acid-free ivory pages.

The journal also features a tidy elastic strap and expandable inner pocket for small keepsakes.

MindWare Sensory Genius Stress Balls

Want to trade phone scrolling for a more productive form of fidgeting? Try these stress balls. They can help keep your brain focused by keeping your hands busy. Approximately 2 inches in diameter, they are gentle and squishy, and the three fun colors represent different levels of resistance to meet your specific stress relief and hand strengthening needs.

Soothe your lack-of-technology anxiety, increase blood circulation in your hands, and build strength all at the same time. These stress balls are ideal for your work desk, your car for when you’re stuck in traffic, and even your living room for when you’re trying to unwind at the end of the day.

Sonos One Smart Speaker

Listening to music or checking the weather shouldn’t have to be a high-tech experience, but you probably maintain most of your music access via an app on your smartphone. Instead, give the new Sonos One Smart Speaker a try. It delivers some of the richest, room-filling sound, and you can control with your voice hands-free.

It syncs with the Sonos app. Apple AirPlay2, and Amazon Alexa, so no matter where you store your music, you can access it without ever reaching for your smartphone. Plus, Alexa makes it easy to check the news and set alarms. The wireless speaker can also sync with another unit to create high-quality stereo sound in your home.

Nokia 3310 3G Cell Phone

At the end of the day, if smartphone apps will forever be a tech temptation to you, consider switching to a super-basic cell phone model like the Nokia 3310. This classic pick is incredibly affordable and known for being virtually indestructible. It features a wildly long battery life, a basic camera for occasional photo-taking, and the classic Snake game to still give you a little bit of entertainment.

Beyond that, you really won’t be too tempted to spend copious amounts of time staring at this screen. Make your phone calls, send your text messages, and move on with your day.

AcuRite Notos Pro Color Weather Sensor

If you’re always checking a phone app for weather information but want to unplug successfully, consider this comprehensive weather station from AcuRite. Yes, it’s a device, but it won’t command so much of your attention and energy as your iPhone does, and it provides all the information you need.

The wireless weather sensor measures the temperature, humidity, and wind speed, and the history chart displays temperature, wind speed, and barometric pressure trends over the most recent 12 hours.

Simply set it up in your preferred location in your home and look over when you need to check the weather rather than reopening the Pandora’s box that is your smartphone.

Slip Pure Silk Sleep Mask

Does constant connection negatively impact your sleep quality? Then add this premium silk sleep mask to your bedtime routine. Available in a wide variety of colors, this mask is gentle on your skin and absorbs less of your nighttime moisturizer so more of it stays on and nurtures your skin.

It’s lightweight enough to feel comfortable but heavy enough to block out excess light, including any blue light emitted from your smartphone. Soft, shiny, and effortlessly durable, this sleep mask brings on all the spa vibes, making it a little easier to keep your digital detox going strong.

WaveBlock Earbud Wraps

Still want to use your Bluetooth-powered earbuds but concerned about the electromagnetic field waves they potentially emit that close to your head? Try these little earbud wraps from WaveBlock. Laboratory tests show that they effectively deflect EMF waves, reducing the impacts of such radiation exposure by more than 95 percent.

They are also waterproof and stay securely fastened to your earbuds, even if you use them during intense activity or in extreme weather elements. Simply peel and stick them around the external elements of your earbuds and you’re good to go.

Pursoma Digital Detox Bath Soak

What’s better than unplugging in the bathtub? Light some candles, grab a good book, throw this luxurious bath soak in a steamy tub, and get to soaking. The premium blend of French grey sea salt remineralizes the body while green clay assists with toxin removal from the inside out.

Designed specifically to help fight that “wired and tired” syndrome, this bath soak prepares your body for an excellent night of sleep. Lounge in the bath for 20 to 30 minutes for the optimal detox experience.

Pinch Provisions Digital Detox Kit

Why choose just one detox assistant when you can enjoy seven in one kit? This set from Pinch Provisions makes the early stages of your attempts at unplugging a little bit more pleasant. It includes an eye mask, a pair of earplugs, a phone sleeve, activity dice, a tech timer, an infinity fidget cube, and expert digital detox tips.

Perfectly packaged and reasonably priced, the kit also makes for a great gift for the tech-obsessed folks in your life. Fun fact: Users note that the fidget cube easily gets used by every member of their households.

Why Trust Verywell Mind

As a seasoned health writer, Alena Hall understands that wellness is for the mind, body, and soul, and wants to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting in every kind of wellness product you buy. Over the years, she has reviewed dozens of products, from athletic recovery aids to homeopathic essential oils to ever-trendy CBD topicals, to help readers like you discover products that can help you live your best life.

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