Digital detox: setting phone-free hours that actually work

Central Coast residents began testing fixed phone-free windows this month after local wellness groups reported higher demand for structured breaks from notifications.

The push comes as mental health services across New South Wales note increased anxiety linked to constant device checks, with many people seeking simple routines that fit around work and family commitments rather than full digital bans.

Walkers on the Gosford to Terrigal beach path now leave devices at home for early morning stretches, while members of the Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club schedule two-hour evening sessions without screens before patrolling duties at the clubhouse on Ocean Street. Similar trials run at the Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club on the northern end of the same coastline.

A 2025 report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed adults in regional NSW averaged 6.4 hours of daily screen time outside work, up from 5.1 hours in 2022, with the steepest rise recorded among those aged 35 to 49.

Blocks that fit local routines

Residents near Tuggerah Lake have started phone-free cycling loops along the shared path that runs from The Entrance to Chittaway Point between 7 am and 8 am on weekdays. The same group uses the Bouddi National Park trailheads at Putty Beach for weekend hikes where phones stay in car lockers until the return to the car park on the Scenic Road side.

These timed windows work when they align with existing habits rather than added rules, such as placing the device in a kitchen drawer before the first coffee or locking it in a car glovebox before entering the water at Avoca Beach.

Next steps for lasting change

Start with one 90-minute block on three days next week and track sleep or mood changes on paper, then adjust the timing to match surf club rosters or lake cycling groups. Anyone experiencing persistent stress should speak with a local GP or the Central Coast Mental Health Service before making larger lifestyle shifts.