Most of us spend too much time on our phones, especially since the COVID-19 lockdowns. Today, children and adults spend 80 percent more time on devices than before 2020.
While your phone helps you do a lot of great things, you also waste a lot of time mindlessly scrolling or jumping at every new notification. Downtime is good, and you can use some of that for other activities. Plus, too much scrolling through content makes us unhappier and hurts our self-esteem while notifications ruin our productivity.
As mental health expert Jennifer Kelman said in Fortune, “We cannot sit still any longer. We cannot sit idle. We cannot be bored. We instantly grab the phone.” The problem is so bad that even TikTok has added time limits!
Fortunately, you can change this behaviour by limiting the time you spend on your phone. Here are some tips to get you started:
Get rid of FOMO
Many of us constantly check our phones because we fear missing out on something. But are you really learning anything vital, or are you just restless? It's usually the latter. If FOMO controls your actions, it's time to let go a little.
No notifications
Every time your brain’s attention diverts elsewhere, it burns extra energy and then burns more to bring your attention back to what you were doing. Notifications do this to us all the time, so turn them off! You can also mute notifications for specific people on messaging apps such as WhatsApp.
Delete apps
You’re likely to have apps that you never use. Not only do they run in the background taking up space, using data and draining your battery – they also send those annoying alerts. Ask yourself if you really need an app. If the answer is no (or maybe), delete it. You can always download it again.
Set a timer
Manage how long you scroll through the news, social media or websites. Use your phone timer to set limits. You can also create app limit timers using built-in software on Android and Apple phones.
Don't wake up and check your phone
Many of us wake up and reach for our phones. But doing so can change the brainwave patterns in our heads and alter how our brains behave throughout the day. It becomes much harder for us to focus and maintain interest levels. Checking your phone when waking up is like having sweets for breakfast; fun, but bad for your day and long-term well-being.
Do something else: How do you want to spend your free time? Instead of using your phone to kill time, try doing something else. Hit the gym, read a book, go for a walk, chat with a friend or colleague, or maybe even focus on a specific article you’ve saved with an app like Instapaper. You can also try a habit app to help reinforce new things to do.
Alternatively, you can also limit your scrolling by watching movies on your phone instead, just get a fast and secure fibre connection with Vodacom to make it a seamless experience. Apply for Vodacom Fibre and get free installation and free LTE for one month while you wait for the installation team.
