Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 3...

Digital Detox: Reclaiming Control in an Always-On World

In an era where the average person checks their smartphone over 150 times daily, digital detox has become increasingly relevant. [I] Digital detox means deliberately disconnecting from electronic devices. It has evolved from a wellness trend into what psychologists call a “necessary recalibration” of our relationship with technology. [II] In the past, Silicon Valley executives dismissed this practice as Luddite rebellion. Now, many of them advocate periodic unplugging. [III] Neuroscientist Dr Anna Lembke says this has created “a collective addiction crisis masquerading as connectivity.” [IV]

The physiological toll of perpetual screen engagement extends far beyond eye strain and disrupted sleep cycles. Recent studies have documented how constant digital stimulation triggers a state of "continuous partial attention," fragmenting our cognitive capacity and diminishing our ability to engage in deep, sustained thought. This mental fragmentation manifests not merely as distraction but as a fundamental rewiring of neural pathways, what researchers at the Digital Wellness Institute describe as "the erosion of contemplative space." Moreover, the compulsive checking behaviour, fuelled by variable reward schedules engineered into app notifications, activates the same brain regions associated with gambling addiction, creating a cycle wherein absence from devices generates measurable anxiety and restlessness.

Yet the paradox of digital detox lies in its execution within our hyper-connected society. For many professionals, complete disconnection remains impractical, if not career-threatening, leading advocates to promote "digital minimalism" instead, a philosophy of intentional technology use that prioritises meaningful engagement over mindless consumption. This approach involves implementing boundaries such as designated device-free zones, app usage limits, and what productivity experts call "attention restoration periods," deliberate intervals of uninterrupted offline activity that allow the prefrontal cortex to recover from information overload.

The broader cultural implications signal a potential shift in societal values. As digital detox retreats proliferate and screen-time tracking becomes normalised, we may be witnessing the emergence of what sociologists term "conscious connectivity",a movement that challenges the assumption that constant availability equals productivity or social engagement, instead championing the radical notion that genuine presence requires strategic absence.

[Adapted from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/digital-wellbeing-technology-disconnect]