Put Your Phone Down!

written by Emma Bartley

Do you…

Use your cell phone when you feel bored, anxious or upset?

Lose track of time while using your phone?

Put your cell phone before your work?

Feel irritable or angry when your phone isn’t with you?

You may be addicted to your cell phone.

You may think, “I am definitely not addicted. I just like using my phone.” But, according to research from media analytics, the average American adult spends almost 3 hours a day on their cell phone. That tallies up to 5 years and 4 months spent over a lifetime on the phone.

To put that in perspective, it’s 36% more time than any of us spend eating and drinking.*

You are not alone though. Phones and social media apps are designed to get you hooked, and many feel like they can’t live without their phone. For example, Snapchat streaks make you want to use the app more; you can’t not keep your streak.

This is a major issue, though. While social media is free, the cost of using it is the most valuable thing we have – our time and attention. Think of the amount of times you have used your phone or social media instead of doing something more productive, or maybe dividing your attention between someone and your phone. When you choose to pay attention to your phone in the moment, you are making a bigger decision about how you want to spend your life.

But, don’t worry. You can reverse this course and fix your addictive behaviors, forming a relationship with your phone that is more positive. Here are some steps you can take to help you form better habits!

1. Disable all of your social media notifications. And I mean all of them. Your notifications are drawing you in and making you want to go on the apps more and more. It can start you in a cycle of moving from app to app, keeping updated on notifications that are not very important.
2. Download a tracking app, like Moment to see how much time you spend on your phone. I promise, it will give you a reality check. You may not realize how much time you spend on your phone. It definitely was a surprise to me!
3. Buy an alarm clock. Don’t use your phone as an alarm. In fact, don’t even keep your phone in your room when you are going to bed. Choose a time to take your phone out of your room and put it downstairs. I guarantee it will improve the quality of your sleep! Using your cell phone before bed increases the likelihood of insomnia, the bright light may decrease sleep quality, and the light emitted may activate the brain, making it harder to sleep. If you use an alarm clock instead of your phone, you have no reason to keep your phone near you!
4. Leave your phone in the other room sometimes. Start by leaving it in another room for fifteen or twenty minutes, and slowly leave it longer. It will break the instinct to bring it with you everywhere you go!

By using your cell phone less, you can utilize your time better. By using it less just a few minutes a day, you free up time to do something even better!

*https://www.health.com/anxiety/cell-phone-addiction