2022 Digital Detox Challenge: Can You Survive 24 Hours without Tech?

For better or worse, we’re tied to our smartphones. On average, 71% of Americans check their phones in the first 10 minutes of waking up in the morning. And forget taking a break while you run errands—3 in 4 Americans say they feel uneasy leaving their phones at home. And that’s just phones. Between computers, watches, tablets, and more, we’re constantly bombarded with videos, photos, and other content that demands our attention.

If this sounds like your life, it might be time to consider a digital detox aka stepping away from your tech for a while. We know it’s hard to take even a day away from work, school, socializing, games, and the endless scrolling and streaming online … but what if we could make it worth the effort?

For the second year in a row, we’d like to give someone $2,400 to take a break and go 24 hours without technology.

• The average American spends 6 hours per day looking at their phone while checking their smartphone 5 times an hour. That’s, like, a part-time job!

• Where are people spending that time, you might wonder? When asked which phone app is their favorite, 30% of respondents said Facebook, 22% said TikTok, and 11% said Instagram. Makes sense—in our experience, all three apps are a li’l addicting.

• And what about cutting back? 40% of Americans check their screen time, but only 1 out of 5 (20%) set limits on apps to cut back on screen time.

• Digital detoxes are actually pretty popular. Nearly 2 in 5 Americans (39%) have tried staying away from their phone or technology for a set amount of time. Key word is “tried”—it’s not easy to go cold turkey like this.

Learn more in our phone addiction report.

Are you up for the challenge of unplugging from all your screens and smart tech for 24 hours? Then apply for our digital detox below.

If you’re selected, you’ll get an Amazon gift card to create a techless survival kit. And once you complete the challenge, we’ll reward you with $2,400. Plus, this is a chance to practice curbing your smartphone cravings.

Consider applying if you:

• Spend over 2 hours daily (the US screen time average) looking at your phone
• Want to take a break from TV now that you've finished binging that fantastic show on your favorite streaming platform
• Rely on Alexa to get even the most basic tasks done (turning the lights on and off, locking the door, buying groceries)
• Feel burned out from the sensory input of all the screens in your life

You also need to be 18+ and eligible to work in the US.

Sooo, what do you get if you’re selected?

• Title as the official 2022 Digital Detox Challenger
• A day without doom scrolling, bad internet memes, or Zoom fatigue
• A safe to store your cell phone in for 24 hours
• A $250 Amazon gift card to put together a techless survival kit containing items such as:
  • Typewriter to replace your laptop
  • Board games to replace video games
  • Abacus to replace your phone’s calculator tool
  • Stationery to use in place of text messaging or emails
  • Books from the bestseller list to replace the time you spend mindlessly scrolling through social media
  • Paints and brushes for you to make a self-portrait rather than taking selfies
• $2,400 upon completion of the challenge
• Bragging rights

What do we mean by digital detox? You must be willing to disconnect from all personal technology (emergencies excluded) for 24 hours.

That means:

• No cell phone (again, barring emergencies)
• No television
• No gaming consoles/handheld gaming devices
• No computers/laptops
• No smart watches or wearable tech (except for medically necessary devices, like fall alert bracelets and glucose monitors)
• No smart home devices (smart speakers, smart vacuums, etc.)
• We’re not monsters—you can still use a microwave to heat a TV dinner. ;)

And to up the ante, we want proof. You’ll submit screen time reports after the digital detox to show you truly went 24 hours without using any technology.

Also, you’ll submit a short post-detox report about:

• Your experience
• Any challenges you faced
• How you benefited from the digital detox
• Whether you plan to cut down on screen time in the future

As part of the report, you’ll also be asked to review the low-tech alternatives you used in the absence of your phone, TV, video games, and smart devices.

As the digital detox contender, you’ll have to go a full 24 hours without any technology. That means your phone, TV, tablet, game console, anything with a power button. What you do in the meantime (minus any tech, of course!) is up to you. You can take a nap, go on a walk, or enjoy the benefits of the techless survival kit.

After the challenge, you’ll submit screen time reports to prove that you genuinely went a full 24 hours without your tech.

If you’re chosen as one of our 2022 Digital Detox Challengers, we'll send you a $250 gift card to build your own techless care package to help pass the time. Here are a few items you could throw in your challenge kit:

• Typewriter to replace your laptop
• Board games to replace video games
• Abacus to replace your phone’s calculator tool
• Stationery to use in place of text messaging or emails
• Books from the bestseller list to replace the time you spend mindlessly scrolling through social media
• Paints and brushes for you to make a self-portrait rather than taking selfies

Applications are open now until 5:00 MT on September 21, 2022.

We’ll announce our detox challenger on September 30 on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe!

Applications closed at 5:00 p.m. (MT) on September 21, 2022.

We’ll announce the digital detox challengers live on our YouTube channel on September 30, so be sure to subscribe to the Reviews.org YouTube channel for the announcement!

The winner will also be contacted via email after the announcement and will have seven days to accept or decline the dream job offer.

Make sure to read our terms and conditions before you apply.

Terms and conditions

Reviews.org Digital Detox Terms and Conditions

1. The promoter of the 24 Hour Digital Detox Challenge (“Digital Detox Challenge) is Clearlink Technologies, LLC, DBA Reviews.org (“Promoter”), whose principal office is located at 5202 W. Douglas Corrigan Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116.
2. Employees of Promoter, or their family members, or anyone else connected in any way with the Digital Detox Challenge or helping to set up the Digital Detox Challenge shall not be permitted to enter.
3. Applicants must be at least 18 years old or otherwise have reached the age of majority under the state's laws where you reside to apply for the Digital Detox Challenge.
4. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
5. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
6. There is NO ENTRY FEE AND NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO APPLY FOR THE DIGITAL DETOX CHALLENGE. Any purchase or consideration otherwise given by applicants will not improve one’s chances of being selected for the Digital Detox Challenge.
7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: By entering this Digital Detox, applicants waive all right to and hold the Promoter harmless from any claim, liability, loss, injury, damage (including punitive, incidental, and consequential damages), or expense (including attorneys’ fees) arising out of or in connection with participation in this Digital Detox or the acceptance, use, or misuse of any prize. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. The Promoter will not be responsible for: late, incomplete, or incorrect applications; an applicant’s failure to receive prize notices due to applicant’s spam, junk e-mail, or other security settings or for applicants’ provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information; technical, hardware, or software malfunctions, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, inaccurate, incomplete, garbled, or delayed electronic communications whether caused by the sender or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or used in this Dream Job; by any human error which may occur in the processing of the applications in this Digital Detox Challenge; or any typographical, technological, or other error in the publishing of the offer, administration of the Digital Detox Challenge, or announcement of the Recipient of the Digital Detox (“Recipient”).
8. The route to entry for the Digital Detox and details on how to enter are available at Reviews.org. Individuals may apply by filling out the application form on Reviews.org’s website.
9. Entries for the Digital Detox Challenge will be accepted starting on August 22, 2022 at 10:30 AM MST. The closing date for entry will be September 21, 2022 at 5:00 PM MST. After this date, no further applications to the Digital Detox Challenge will be permitted.
10. Reviews.org will select one (1) Digital Detox Recipient (“Recipient”) from the entire pool of eligible entries. Recipient will be selected based on the quality of the application as judged by Reviews.org employees.
11. The Recipient will be notified by email within seven days of the closing date. If the Recipient cannot be contacted, is not eligible, or does not claim the opportunity to participate in the Digital Detox Challenge within seven days of notification, Promoter reserves the right to withdraw the offer from the Recipient and pick a replacement Recipient.
12. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The Recipient acknowledges that participation in the Digital Detox Challenge will be as an independent contractor. No agency, partnership, joint venture, or employee-employer relationship is intended or created by accepting the Digital Detox Challenge. The Recipient has no authority to bind Promoter to contracts, make any agreement or representations on the Promoter’s behalf without the Promoter’s written consent. Recipient shall not be eligible to participate in any vacation, group medical or life insurance, disability, profit sharing, or retirement benefits, or any other fringe benefits or benefit plans offered by Promoter to its employees. The Promoter is not responsible for withholding or paying any income, payroll, Social Security, or other federal, state, or local taxes, making any insurance contributions, including unemployment or disability, or obtaining worker’s compensation insurance on Recipient’s behalf. Recipient acknowledges that stipend is subject to all applicable taxes. The Recipient is solely responsible for all such taxes or contributions, including penalties and interest.
13. The Digital Detox Challenge consists of spending 24 hours without the use of technology, barring any emergencies. The challenge recipient must adhere to the challenge conditions in order to be paid the full $2,400 stipend.
14. The Promoter is committed to providing equal opportunities to participate in the Digital Detox to qualified individuals with disabilities. Consistent with this commitment, if the Recipient believes she/he/they need an accommodation to complete the requirements of the Digital Detox because of a disability, the Promoter will provide a reasonable accommodation that would allow the Recipient to complete the requirements of the Digital Detox unless doing so would create an undue hardship.
15. Recipient will receive (i) a time locking container (valued at $39.99); and (ii) a digital Amazon Gift Card (valued at $250).
16. This Digital Detox is conducted by Promoter and is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with any of the properties listed above or their affiliates.
17. Upon completion of the Digital Detox, the Recipient will receive a stipend of $2,400.00 USD. The Promoter shall distribute stipend to the Recipient no earlier than 30 days following the completion of the Digital Detox requirements.
18. No cash alternative to the Digital Detox, time locking container, or Amazon Gift Card will be offered. Opportunity to participate in the Digital Detox is not transferable. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute the time locking container and Amazon Gift Card With items of equivalent value without giving notice.
19. The Recipient agrees to the use of his/her/their name and image in any publicity material. Any personal data relating to the Recipient or any other applicants will be used solely in accordance with current federal and state data protection legislation. For more information, see the Privacy Policy at Reviews.org.
20. Where legally required, the Recipient’s name will be available upon request 28 days after the closing date. To request the Recipient’s name, please send the request in a stamped addressed envelope to the following address:Reviews.org 5202 W. Douglas Corrigan Way
    Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
21. The Promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend this Digital Detox and these Terms and Conditions without notice.
22. The Promoter’s decision regarding all matters to do with the Digital Detox will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
23. The Digital Detox and these Terms and Conditions will be governed by Utah law, and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Utah.
24. By applying for this Digital Detox, applicants agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

This digital detox is administered by Reviews.org and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any of the parties mentioned above.