Smartphones are meant to make our lives easier, but do you have a phone addiction
Wise people have said that the definition of madness is doing the same thing repeatedly but expecting different results. Based on this logic we are all mad. How many times have you checked your phone for new notifications? Scrolled past pictures in your feed that you have already seen in case you missed one? Or refreshed a post hoping that more likes have appeared in the last 20 seconds since you checked?
If these actions are having a negative affect on your life then you might want to re-evaluate.
Here are five quick steps to help you break that smartphone addiction before it breaks you:
1. Track your time
There are many apps and settings on your phone that can help you monitor how long you spend on certain applications and limit your use. Apps such as Breakfree are available on android and iOS devices. Breakfree describes itself as, “a first of its kind, revolutionary mobile app, aimed at controlling smartphone addiction and helping you maintain a healthy digital lifestyle.”
You would effectively be using technology to defeat technology, you clever thing you.
2. Realise that you have complete control over your phone
Many of us have become so reliant on our phones that we can often slip into the feeling of being controlled by our phones. We are often left feeling lost without them and being without one for an extended period of time can cause anxiety and panic for many.
Any time that you feel yourself unconsciously reaching for your phone just think to yourself, who is in charge, my phone or me? Repeating this to yourself may help you limit your time spent on your phone to conscious usage.
3.Stop scrolling
You’ve got to take control of the way you scroll. If you are going to go on social media do it with purpose. Sometimes setting yourself a task before you open a social media site can help you make better use of the app and your time. If social media becomes a tool for productivity rather than procrastination then your mind will create positive associations with it and you will leave your phone feeling that you have accomplished something.
4.Filter your notifications
It takes a matter of moments to change your phone settings so that you only receive notifications from the apps you want to. Turning off as many push notifications as possible will mean less distractions and you will soon realise the apps you are actually using. This exercise might even help you to delete a few apps that you no longer use or are taking up too much of your time. Think of it as de-cluttering the bits and bobs draw that is your push notifications.
5. Remove distracting apps from your home screen
A lot of time spent on your phone is unconscious. Shifting from one app to another. If you have to go through the arduous process of searching for an app rather than it greeting you on arrival at your home screen you will be less likely to accidentally spend two hours looking at funny cat videos on YouTube.
