Feeling Overwhelmed by Tech? Try Intermittent Tech Fasting
Technology is supposed to make life easier, right? So why does it often feel like it is making everything harder?
Between CRMs, emails, Slack, Teams, social media, text messages, news alerts, calendar reminders, and more, modern technology feels more like a tidal wave than a helpful tool. If you have ever caught yourself bouncing between platforms all day, ending up drained, frazzled, and unsure of what you actually accomplished, you are not the only one. This constant digital stimulation creates a very real sense of overwhelm that can wear on your focus, your productivity, and your peace of mind.
If this sounds like you, it may be time to try something like intermittent tech fasting.
What Is Intermittent Tech Fasting?
You have probably heard of intermittent fasting in the health world where you restrict your eating to certain times of the day to reduce stress on the body. Intermittent tech fasting follows this same concept. Intentionally limiting your use of certain types of technology during designated times so your brain can recover, reset, and refocus.
Instead of the all or nothing mentality of quitting tech and abandoning your tools, an intermittent tech fast gives you some structured breathing room from the platforms that drain your attention and create unnecessary stress.
Why It Works: The Hidden Cost of Constant Switching
One of the most stressful parts of modern work is the constant switching between tech tools. Jumping from email to Slack to your CRM to social media to your calendar and back again takes a toll on your brain. Every time you shift platforms, your brain has to reorient itself, which burns mental energy and fractures your focus.
This behavior activates your brain’s fight or flight systems, reinforcing stress patterns and overwhelm. Over time, that contributes to burnout, distraction, and a lingering sense that you are always behind, even if you have been “working” all day.
By giving yourself boundaries around when and how you engage with tech, you train your brain to focus deeper, stress less, and take back control of your time.
How to Start Your Own Tech Fast
The idea of pulling away from technology sounds impossible, especially in a fast paced business environment. That is why intermittent tech fasting works best in small, intentional doses.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Identify Your Top 2 Stress Causing Platforms
Think about the apps, platforms, or digital tools that leave you feeling most anxious or scattered. For most people, it is something like:
Email
Messaging apps (Slack, Teams, etc.)
Social media
Project management tools
Pick one or two to start with.
2. Set a Timer (Yes, Really)
There is no need for a fancy system, just use your phone’s timer or a simple kitchen timer. Give yourself a specific window to be on that platform (e.g., 20–30 minutes). Once the time is up, log out, close the tab, or shut the app down and step away. This keeps your brain from spiraling into doomscrolling, over checking, or falling into reactive mode.
3. Schedule “Check In” Windows
If you are worried about missing something important, build check in times into your day. You might check email at 9am, 1pm, and 4pm, rather than every 3 minutes. This structure creates freedom without disconnection where you are still reachable, just not constantly reactive.
4. Create Tech Free Zones
This can be physical, like no phones in the kitchen, or temporal, like no checking Slack after 6pm. Establishing sacred tech free zones gives your brain time to decompress and helps you feel more in control of your environment.
5. Evaluate the Impact
After a week of intermittent tech fasting, reflect:
Do you feel calmer?
Are you completing more deep work?
Are you reacting less and responding more intentionally?
You might be surprised by how a few small boundaries can dramatically lower your stress levels and increase your effectiveness.
Pattern Interrupt Not Perfection
Be sure to not get all wrapped up in being perfect at intermittent tech fasting. There will be days where tech dominates your attention and that is okay. The goal is to build in intentional patterns that disrupt the cycle of digital overwhelm.
By practicing intermittent tech fasting, you are creating space in your day and your brain for clarity, calm, and control. All of which can lead to better decisions, more creative thinking, and a whole lot less stress.
Boundaries Beat Burnout
We live in a world that wants our attention 24/7. You are allowed to pause. You are allowed to protect your peace. You are allowed to take back control of how you interact with technology. So the next time you feel the flood of pings, dings, and notifications rising try a tech fast. Your brain will thank you.
Want to schedule focused work time without technology? Join us for the upcoming Focused Work Days!
