Digital detox: for these execs winter’s the perfect time to switch off

Nick Ireland relishes his work as one of Australia’s leading jewellers. Even so, the diamond retailer says it’s critical, from time to time, to get away from the office for a digital detox. Winter is the ideal time to escape devices, and the cold, for the European summer, he says.

Nick Ireland likes to head to Europe to recharge

Brisbane-based Ireland says staying off the phone and email on vacation helps “catching up with my family and having some down time visiting new places." “It’s a great break and gives a new lease of life for the July 1 start for a new financial year,” he says. “A large amount of our time is spent not only making fabulous jewellery but with our website developer, SEO team, and marketing team as well as brainstorming, discussing and implementing new ideas."

“So the downtime experienced in June from both day to day physical work and being away from major IT decisions is a welcome reprieve to which I feel completely rejuvenated when I return.” It’s a bonus, he says, that the studio’s operations can be left “in the capable hands of my son Zac”, allowing time off with “no phone, nice long walks on the beach with our dogs and a swim of course.”

Ireland and son Zac Ireland at their Brisbane showroom

Tailoring a digital detox to personal circumstances is one of the big keys to success, says Jamieson Private Wealth founder Alex Jamieson. The Melbourne-based financial planner, who likes to escape the city with family and no devices, often times his winter digital detox with the Kings Birthday long weekend.

A big upside is that the timing aligns with wider community expectations of less communication over the three-day public holiday, he says.

Alex Jamieson sees gains from digital detoxes

“To some degree a three-day weekend to reset yourself is something I’ve developed over quite some time, and it’s a really valuable trait to have,” he says. There’s “a culturally alignment” on taking some time off, meaning “there’s the expectation that you’re probably not going to be around to answer stuff.” Even so, he concedes that it can be tough to find the time to down digital tools in a fast-paced and demanding sector like financial services.

“For me personally because of the intense type of work that we do the ability to disengage and recharge in more micro settings, as opposed to ‘I need to go away to an ashram for a week’ is an actual skill to develop,” he says. “It’s something more paramount because you’re building those abilities to get away for those periods to disconnect.”

Jamieson makes time to get away from screens

At the same time, he urges executives keen for a break to ensure they’re clear on expectations before shutting off tech, even for just a few days. This includes handing over duties to key staff and not relying on a basic out of office email. “The level of being wired in is being amplified on the back of community expectations and so you have to create a more constructive period of time where you put the phone down, turn off and walk away from it,” he says.

Jack Kapoor, CEO of Sydney-based Agile Energy, also keeps it brief when digital detoxing. “I wouldn't say I'm someone who disappears onto a farm for two weeks with a journal and a yoga mat,” Kapoor says. “My version of a digital detox is getting completely absorbed in something that has nothing to do with notifications, emails or energy contracts." "Usually that means spending time with family, getting out with mates, travelling, enjoying a long lunch, or opening a good bottle of wine from the cellar.”

To enforce digital downtime, he often heads somewhere with bad phone reception. “If I'm lucky enough to get away, somewhere with poor phone reception is surprisingly effective,” he says. “It's amazing how quickly you realise the world keeps turning even when you don't answer an email for a few hours." He points to winter, and especially the end of the financial year, as a perfect time to reset, offering a chance to reassess priorities and clear “digital clutter” built up since January.

That’s essential, he says, given how much digital correspondence accumulates daily. “As a founder and CEO, my day is effectively a constant stream of information,” he says. “Emails, Teams messages, WhatsApp, calls, market updates, board papers, financial reports and now AI tools that can generate answers, reports and analysis in seconds. Technology has become incredibly good at demanding our attention. The challenge today isn't accessing information—it's filtering it.”

For Kapoor, the upside of a winter digital detox makes it worth the time, pointing to key gains on creative thinking and out-of-the-box solutions. “The most valuable ideas rarely arrive while you're responding to your 127th email of the day. They arrive when your mind finally has room to wander."

“One thing I've learned in business is that when you're too close to a process, you stop seeing its flaws. The same applies to technology and AI. We become so focused on using the tools that we rarely stop and ask whether we're using them effectively.” “Sometimes the most productive thing a leader can do is spend an hour with no screen, no notifications and no AI prompts—just thinking,” he adds.

The comments fit with recent research into the benefits of digital detoxes. For instance, a landmark 2024 study in US-based medical science journal Cureus found that many of those who take time off from screens and devices made positive lifestyle changes and achieved health-related outcomes. These were maintained after the detox ended.

“The notion of 'digital detox' is gaining popularity as a means to combat technological anxiety and its effects on both happiness and performance,” the research found. While some people have initial apprehensions, many end up enjoying the process, according to the research, which highlights the importance of a personalised approach.