Relying on gadgets is the easiest way to stay in touch with loved ones and keep up to date with the latest news. But are these the main reasons why we are addicted to phones?
Ask yourself whether you crave new content all the time, or are you driven by FOMO (fear of missing out)? Have you noticed that gadgets take you more time and energy than you actually want? If you answered “yes” to at least one question, use these 8 easy ways to spend less time scrolling and more time living your best life!
And here’s a valuable tip before we begin. Actually, completing homework makes us spend much time with laptops, and this affects our eyesight and the nervous system as well. So if you’d like to give yourself some rest, outsource your paper to a trusted essay writing app and enjoy your free schedule. No doubt, you will certainly enjoy the time saved to do what you’ve planned.
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Contents
Change The Position Of Apps On Your Screen
You just watched an hour’s worth of TikToks and don’t even remember how you got there. Most often, we take the phone for a specific purpose, but end up falling into the trap of social networks.
So make entertainment apps a bit less available by moving all the icons to the farthest screen, or better, hide them in a separate folder. The more steps you have to take to check social networks, the less likely you are to open those applications habitually.
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Turn Off Your Notifications
Do you really want to get notifications when a blogger shares a new Reel or someone sends you a TikTok? What they do is distract you from what you’re doing and make you unlock your phone again. Thus, put yourself in control of the situation. Turn off social media notifications. Indeed, when something really needs your attention, it’s likely that you’ll be aware of it through other channels.
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Analyze Your Screen Time
Your phone certainly tracks screen time, so look at the statistics. As a rule, a couple of hours a day doesn’t really scare anyone, but multiply this average by 52 weeks a year and the result will shock you.
Many of us spend entire days, or even weeks and months on our phones, instead of upgrading the skills we need for a future job interview or just spending time with our loved ones. Be it hanging out with friends, painting, yoga or studying – isn’t it better to devote your energy to those tasks?
First of all, analyze what applications you use most often, and why you can’t live without them. The first step is to reduce the statistics by at least 30 minutes, and then, from 2 and 2.5 hours a week to two. No need to delete all your accounts: in this case, there is a high probability that you will break loose.
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Clean Up Your Subscriptions
You’ve probably heard that you are the sum of the five people you communicate with most often. Well, now this phrase may sound different. You are the sum of the 5 accounts you check the most. Therefore, unfollow senseless profiles, leaving those that bring you inspiration and motivation whenever you click on their stories. The fewer accounts you follow, the less time you spend on social networks.
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Leave Your Phone In Another Room
Try leaving your phone in another room. You will be surprised how little happens online in the time that you replace the gadget with a book or a cup of coffee while walking in the park. After a while, raise your stakes and go for a walk without your phone. This solution may certainly bring you a sense of freedom.
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Don’t Use Your Phone When Eating
Many of us pick up the phone during gatherings with friends and family. But it’s impolite and annoying for the narrator. During your next meeting, suggest putting your gadgets in the center of the table and enjoying the moment.
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Find A Like-Minded Person
It is difficult to control and motivate yourself alone, so you definitely need an ally on your side. Therefore, another time-tested technique is to find a like-minded person who also wants to spend less time on the phone. Offer to win over your addiction together and track the progress once a week.
Plus, both of you can begin a new hobby or sign up for an engaging course. No doubt, you will certainly lose interest in scrolling social media when you find a passion that will make your life truly exciting.
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Watch “The Social Dilemma”
In this documentary, former employees of Google, Instagram, and Facebook reveal how social networks manipulate users. Constantly updated algorithms help sites anticipate user interests in order to sell more ads. Plus, developers talk about the role of social media in political destabilization and spreading false information.
The Netflix documentary explains us plenty of crucial issues:
- How social networks manipulate our minds, from online shopping to voting results;
- How the statistics of suicide, depression and anxiety increased after social networks became omnipresent;
- How our attention span is shortened because of endless scrolling;
- How companies collect information about users and why app developers don’t allow their children to have social media accounts.
To Wrap It Up
Taking your phone out of the pocket to scroll through the feed is our subconscious reflex these days. We are online when we’re bored, and we also try to take our minds off the problems with new content. But it’s this habit that prevents us from focusing on something new, and makes us anxious when we haven’t checked the news for an hour or more.
According to research, reducing screen time is great for sleep quality and mental health, not to mention how much energy you can spend on your growth. Remember, you are doing this to protect your physical and mental resources. Smartphone addiction is real, and cutting back on screen time will help you overcome it.
