Smartphones are one of the most useful and successful inventions of the tech world. They have brought the world to the palm of our hands. However, even with all their virtues, there is a growing concern amongst people regarding the excess use of smartphones. Data suggests that millennials spend nearly 3.7 hours of their day on their phone. This translates to nearly 9 years of your life spent staring at the screen.
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Excessive use of the phone has become such an issue that tech giants, Google and Apple have rolled out features that help people monitor their time spent on apps. If you struggle with spending too much time on your phone, here are a few ways you can help the situation.
Analyze the Damage
The first thing to do is to access the situation. Monitor the time you are spending on apps and using your phone. Notice your phone habits and triggers. This means paying attention to when you start using your phone during the day (as soon as you wake up, after breakfast, etc.) and what prompts you to spend extra time on it.
You can also check the apps you visit most to find how much time you spend on them per day. This will give you a decent idea of your time management habits.
Designating Time Slots for Calls
Try limiting call time to a designated few hours. Instruct people to reach you via call only during these hours. This helps you set boundaries and save time. If you do receive a call outside the time slot, let them know that you cannot spare more than a few minutes.
Turn Off Notifications
If you are someone who gets easily distracted, turn off the notifications for social media apps on your phone. This way you will not be derailed from a task only to end up wasting time on the labyrinth that is social media. If you are particularly busy studying or working, turn on the DND mode. This mode not just mutes your phone but also stops it from vibrating in case of a call or text.
Websites Over Apps
Apps encourage user engagement, as they are equipped with features that enhance the user experience. Therefore, it is better to opt for websites over apps. This way you only attempt the task and hand instead of mindlessly scrolling for hours.
Log Out
Apps like YouTube use machine learning to monitor user behavior and facilitate their experience. Therefore, if you view a couple of videos on a topic your recommendations will be filled with similar videos. This often drives people down a rabbit hole, and they end up spending a lot more time on the app than you intended to.
You can prevent this by logging out from your account so the app does not track your behavior and cannot recommend content that you may like. Furthermore, logging in to apps takes more effort you will likely not want to put in.
Social Media Break
Now for many people, this may seem completely impractical, but it still can be a fun experiment. Designate one day of the week completely phone-free. This day should be solely for going out, spending time with family, or some other fun activity. This will not only help you take a break from the fast-paced digital world but also help appreciate individuals and experiences the real world has to offer.
Finding a Distraction
We often turn to our phones because of boredom. To remedy this situation, find a hobby or activity that you will enjoy. If you have a creative side, consider writing, painting, or, drawing. These hobbies will polish your existing skills and help with self-exploration. You can learn a new language or do some other productivity that keeps your mind off your phone.
In Conclusion
The idea that one can waste nearly 9 hours of their life staring at a screen is a scary one. There are far better ways of spending your time. We hope these tips can help you reduce screen time and invest it in a more productive task.