How to Conquer Phone Addiction
It is no more news that the world has gone digital, almost every average individual has a phone. Computers, tech devices are all around, while it is important to be acquainted with technological advancements due to their serious relevance and usefulness in this age, some of these devices have also become sources of distraction and addiction to many, especially the phone. The phone addiction is probably easy because of its easy mobility and vast scope of usability. With a browsing phone and data, you can go on the internet, social media and get engrossed for a long time without knowing. If you discover you press your phone while walking, in the bathroom or while eating, and probably chat for long periods, or can’t help but press your phone even when you are in a face to face conversation with another person, then you need to really take up the matter against continuing to be addicted to your phone. There are different problems that phone addiction can lead to, including bad sleeping pattern, depression, memory issues and the likes. Below are some helpful tips that you can apply to correct or get over phone addiction.
Be Aware of Your Addiction
When a problem is identified as a problem by the persons concerned, then the problem is half-solved, the first thing to do here is to first become aware of the fact that you are addicted to your phone, see it not as a normal way of life, see it as an abnormal thing that you need to correct. Even if many people are addicted to their phones, it does not make it right. So, become aware and conscious of your present state of too much dependence on your phone and be ready to do something about it.
Gauge Your Phone Usage
Begin to consciously track how many hours you use your phone per day. There are apps you can use to track how many hours you spend on your phone, apps like Quality Time, Moment, Checky. Gauging how much time you spend or waste on your phone can help you have a more vivid idea of how much time is going into unproductive use of your time which you can divert into other productive things. Be ready to cut down on the number of hours you spend on your phone deliberately.
Reduce the Time Slowly
Don’t be too drastic about the process of getting off phone addiction. Start with mild measures that won’t feel too hard but that will still significantly impact on how your addiction. Start reducing your chats, phone calls, internet surfing and other casual use of your phone little by little, then go on to continue to reduce it until you are able to attain a good level of control on your phone usage.
Schedule Certain Periods of the Day
If you don’t have to always use your phone at work or for some serious business, then you should schedule a period of the day for you to go on your phone, go online, attend to chats, make calls and do other fun things you like to do on your phone. Having that special time will mean that at other periods of the day you use your phone as minimally as possible. Otherwise you might just keep picking up your phone to check for a new message, missed call or WhatsApp status.
Work on Your Mindset
Don’t believe that you cannot do without your phone, as much as possible make yourself believe that you can do without it. Of course, we need our phones for a number of important things, but that doesn’t mean we can’t live without them. Work on your mind to believe that there are more interesting and value adding things outside always picking up your phone and pressing.
Engage in Full Conversations
When you are talking with another person, be deliberate to drop your phone and have the talk without pressing your phone or looking at it in-between the conversation. Practice it with as many conversations as you have with people face to face unless you are deliberately trying to use it to shield or distract yourself. Come to think of it, pressing your phone, receiving call or texting messages while talking to another person or in an important meeting is actually impolite and shows lack of manners. Groom yourself to be civil in this respect.
Charge Your Phone Away from Your Bed or Reach
If your phone power is low or down, it is an opportunity for you to unplug from the distractions that abound on it while charging it. But if while charging it, you put it near you or within reach, the temptation or instinct might just be there to pick it up and begin pressing again. Try to charge your phone at a distance not too close to where you are, and not so comfortably near your bed where you can easily lie down and go on pressing the phone.
Ask ‘Why Do I Want to Pick the Phone Up?’
Whenever you want to pick your phone, try to ask yourself exactly what it is you want to do on the phone. The question may not necessarily have to make you not pick it up, but when you do eventually, you know what you want to do. If the reason you want to pick it up is not serious or important enough, wouldn’t it be better to just find something more productive doing and leave the phone for that moment of time?
Change Your Phone Settings
If you keep getting distracting notifications on your phone and you want to reduce the distractions, why not go to the appropriate settings and mute such notifications.
Get Involved with Important Things
Plan your day well and know the important things you have to do during the day. Get to work on those important tasks. When you are really busy with serious work, then you will have less time for frivolities on the phone. So, discipline yourself to do all the important things you have to do before getting engrossed with your phone.
Have a Set Time to Sleep?
Phone addiction can get so bad that it affects a person’s sleeping pattern. You should endeavour to have a set time when you must drop your phone and get to sleep. Let your time to sleep be your time to sleep, be deliberate and determined about it. Don’t sleep off pressing your phone. Make it a principle to sleep when you ought to without allow anything to steal the time for rest. This will keep you healthy.
Replace the Habit
Find other interesting things you can do outside your phone. You could decide to keep your phone far away from where you are and keep a book you’d love to read nearer. Play the piano instead if you can, do some sport if you can, go out, visit and socialise with physical friends instead of the virtual life on the phone.
Avoid Using Your Phone While Eating
Try to practice eating without picking up and using your phone. Using your phone while eating may not be too good for the attention you should rather pay to your meal and seems not too good for the health.
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