Here I am, stating the reasons we should spend less time on our phones, whilst on my own phone. The irony of it all. We grew up playing ‘snake’ on our parent’s Nokia, next we were addicted to BBM and now we cannot be seen in public without an iPhone glued to our hands. Our generation grew up with the development of smartphones. However, the current overuse of our phones is anything but smart (oh wow someone please report me after that terrible joke).
I’m sure we’ve realised that we are addicted to our phones at some point. Some are arguably worse than others, but we are all guilty of spending too much time looking at our screens. I constantly have to remind myself to put the phone down after 50 TikTok’s and an hour scrolling through Instagram.
Why should we spend less time on our phones?
The fact we should spend less time on our phones is, by no means, new information. We all know that we should spend less time on our phones. But, are we fully aware of the benefits of doing so? What are the actual reasons why?
Some benefits of spending less time on our phone:
- Less comparison,
- Improved mental health,
- Improved human interactions,
- Better concentration,
- More mindful,
- Sharpened mental abilities.
Previously, I discussed how we should, ‘Take everything we see online with a pinch of salt‘ as spending too much time on social media undoubtedly leads to comparison and reduced mental wellbeing. Furthermore, according to psychology today, research shows that even the sight of our phones can decrease our cognitive resources. It states that “having your phone in a social setting can decrease the depth of the interaction, creating more superficial social exchanges.”
Therefore, not only does it distract our own mental wellbeing, but it can also disrupt a social dynamic. So, perhaps we need to put the phone away altogether? I think it may be an impossible task for us to log off social media for good and throw the thing into the sea, but we can help ourselves by making small changes and becoming more aware of the time we spend on our phones. I decided to conduct some research on tips that may help us.
How can we spend less time on our phones?
If you’ve made it this far and you’re convinced that spending less time on our phones is a good idea, the next step is, how do we do it? Initially, this sounds like a stupid question. Just set the phone down. However, I know only too well that this is much easier said than done. I decided to compile a list of ways we can go about helping ourselves reducing our screen time.
1. Set a screen time
Go to your settings and set a realistic screen time. Even if you ignore it, at least you’re increasing your awareness around how long you’re spending on your phone. I was shocked at how much time I’ve spent on my phone and not even realised until whoops, it’s lunchtime, and apparently, I’ve reached my screen time limit. I then tend to be more mindful of how much time I’m spending scrolling through my phone for the remainder of the day, even if I’ve exceeded my limit.
2. Delete social media apps
Figure out which apps distract you the most and then delete them for a period of time. If I spend most of my time on Tiktok during the day, I’ll delete it until 8pm and allow myself an hour of scrolling after that. Some people find it hard to remember to do so, but you can go to your settings and lock certain apps. Or, there is even an app to lock your apps such as, Locker: Photo Vault & App Lock. Technology, eh.
3. Set your phone down
Again, this sounds so obvious, but it is harder than you’d think (speaking from experience). When I say set it down, I mean put it far away and don’t lift it for a period of time. Out of sight and out of mind. I’ll go for my walk and purposefully leave my phone upstairs. That way, you’re less likely to bother lifting it when you get back. I’m not sure if that’s tactful, or if I’m just plain lazy.
4. Turn off notifications
I think this one is a game-changer. Most of the time, we aren’t even thinking of checking our phones. However, once a notification pops up, we can feel obliged to look at it and click into the app, or message. Turning off notifications might help if you feel the need to reply instantly (unlike myself who forgets to reply to messages for 3 working days).
5. Read a book
I’ve heard great reports about, ‘How to Break up With your Phone‘ and although I haven’t read it yet, it sounds like a great place to start if you’re struggling to do so. However, reading any book you find interesting will take your attention away from your phone and onto the book itself. I find it very helpful to pick up a good book if I can’t seem to put my phone down. Furthermore, we receive so much of our information from our phones, so it’s good to rest those eyes and learn from an actual book. The good old-fashioned way.
6. Increase real- life interactions
There’s nothing like meeting up with your friends and chatting for a couple hours. Most people don’t feel the need to reach for their phones whilst in the company of others. Make a point of keeping your phone in your pocket and only reaching for it when you absolutely have to.
Even if you’re just popping to the shop or running errands, keep the phone in your pocket and take in your surroundings on the way. You might even see a gorgeous dog when you’ve lifted your head away from the screen. Winner winner.
Summary
So now we know why we need to reduce our screen time and how to do it, we have no excuses. We’re all going to be enlightened and have a wonderful detox from our phones.
Personally, I’ve never enjoyed the fact a tiny little screen can have such control over our attention spans, so I need to make a conscious effort to follow these steps myself. After this, we will be so productive. Just imagine all the things we could achieve by setting these little objects down. Or, we could simply have a nice old-time to ourselves away from social media.
Chat soon,
Eilís x
