Digital Detox and AI Dependency | Colin Corby

Digital detox expert Colin Corby joins The MiddleGround Mic to talk about digital detox, AI dependency, smartphone habits, burnout, and how to get control back from technology without throwing your phone away.

Learn more about Colin Corby and his digital detox resources at thedigitaldetoxcoach.com.

Colin is the founder of Technology Wellbeing Limited and creator of The Digital Detox Coach. In this conversation, he explains why digital detox can be as simple as short offline breaks, why phones keep us from fully resting, how AI can make people dependent, and why being present is becoming harder in an always-connected world.

Joe and Colin also discuss phone addiction, screen time, kids and technology, loneliness, AI companions, and practical steps like the “Just One Thing” challenge and avoiding scrolling for the first 45 minutes of the day.

Learn more about Colin at thedigitaldetoxcoach.com.

CHAPTERS

00:00 — Intro: Digital Detox and AI Dependency
01:25 — What Digital Detox Actually Means
04:16 — Why Phones Keep Us From Resting
05:44 — Being Present With People Again
07:32 — The Attention Business Model
11:23 — What Tech Insiders Understand
12:09 — AI Detox and Outsourcing Your Skills
14:40 — Why AI Dependency Matters
19:48 — Warning Signs of Digital Burnout
22:11 — The Phone Test With Friends and Family
24:56 — The Just One Thing Challenge
27:09 — Stress, Burnout, and the Tipping Point
30:01 — Why Environment Changes Habits
32:40 — Accountability and Changing Habits
33:12 — Loneliness, Technology, and AI Companions
36:33 — Small Steps and the Marathon Mindset
40:42 — Kids Growing Up With Smartphones
43:54 — AI at Work and Why People Still Matter
47:51 — When Mistakes Live Online Forever
50:35 — Parents Have to Set the Example
54:51 — Where to Find Colin Corby
57:12 — The Five Day Digital Reset
58:13 — Final Takeaway: You’re Not Weak, You’re Outgunned

Support the show