One of my takeaways from Connections Wellbeing this year, was that I might (just maybe!) be in need of a digital detox.

I listened to Stella Photi from Wellbeing Escapes describe this travel trend, where travellers switch off their phones while on holiday and enjoy some deep rest. And I thought: “I really need to give this a try!”

So, during half term, my two daughters and I travelled to Tuscany for a phone-free holiday.

Going cold turkey was not an option – we agreed that we could use our phones to take photos of our  trip together, and that everyone was allowed 30 minutes of phone time each evening (we had to be realistic!)

So, was it hard? Absolutely! Mainly because I couldn’t stay in touch with members of my family as much as I wanted to. And using my phone as a camera made it really difficult not to slip into my usual habits – I turned all notifications off so to make it easier to resist!

My daughters’ reactions were interesting. My eldest is 15, and her biggest problem with the digital detox seemed to be losing her Snapchat Streak (the parents among you will know what that is!) I would say that my 11-year-old was the least bothered out of all of us about not using her phone – I think she rather liked it!

We explored the beautfiul town of San Gimignano – the girls enjoyed the gory Torture Museum, while I was white as a sheet! We browsed the stalls of the lovely Val di Pesa bric-a-brac market, and I visited Pisa for the first time in my life, which was wonderful.

We caught up with each other properly, chatting over over bowls of unbelievably delicious ice cream and the best capuccinos in the world (tiny cups, where the milk is boiled to perfection, I miss them every day!)

Our digital detox was not 100%. But it was pretty close. And I definitely returned home feeling restored and connected to my family – more than I would have if I’d been on my phone more – which is what holidays are all about for me.

If you’re thinking about giving a digital detox a go, I fully recommend it!

To read the round-up of Connections Wellbeing in Greece, stay tuned for our Connections Digital magazine.