Journalist Nayeema Raza Proposes Habits to Combat Digital Entanglement

Journalist Nayeema Raza presented three practical habits to help individuals regain their presence and break free from phone dependency ^[1].

This shift toward digital entanglement matters because the pervasive use of devices is altering how people perceive reality. When the online world begins to supersede physical interactions, individuals risk losing the ability to engage fully with their immediate surroundings.

During her presentation for TED Talks Business, Raza said, "We're so entangled with our devices that online has started to feel more real than IRL." This sentiment reflects a growing concern regarding the psychological impact of constant connectivity, a state where the digital interface becomes the primary lens for experiencing the world.

To address this, Raza offered three specific habits ^[1]. These practices are designed to reignite curiosity and restore a sense of presence in the physical world. By consciously decoupling from devices, Raza said people can shift their focus back to real-life interactions.

The core of the issue is the way devices integrate into daily routines. When a phone is always present, the boundary between the virtual and the physical blurs. Raza said that this entanglement creates a distorted sense of priority, where notifications and feeds take precedence over the people and environments physically present in a room.

Restoring genuine presence requires a deliberate effort to prioritize the offline experience. The habits proposed by Raza aim to disrupt the cycle of automatic device usage, encouraging a return to a state of active observation and engagement with the physical world ^[1].