We are a nation addicted to our smartphones and whilst most of the time these handheld devices bring us handy up-to-date news, entertainment and a way to pass time, there are occasions where we need to put them down and connect with the real world again. The average Brit spends 2 hours and 34 minutes on their smartphone every day! Whether you’re at work, attending events or just want to enjoy some time at home without being attached to your device we’ve put together some tips to help you put down your phone.
If you are trying to put your phone down in order to relax, try using apps such as Breathe and Calm which help you practice mindfulness and relaxation. Fit these mindful sessions into your regular routine and reap the benefits of positive mental health and a reduced dependency on your phone.
Do you feel like you check your phone too regularly? Wean yourself out of the habit by giving yourself strict times for when you are allowed to check it. Keep it simple at first by allowing yourself to check every 15 minutes and slowly build up your resistance until you defeat the habit. If you feel anxious about not being contactable let your family and friends know you are doing a detox and may not respond as quickly as usual.
Minimise the temptation of checking your phone by turning off as many notifications as possible and leave only the ones that you feel are most important. For example, text message alerts and incoming phone calls might be a high priority for you, whilst game notifications and social media updates might not be important to you.
When we unlock our phones we subconsciously open apps with very little thought. It’s just like a reflex. However, you can break this mindless app opening by decluttering your home screen and taking off any apps that you find to be a distraction. This way when you unlock your phone you won’t be as tempted to open apps just because they are easy to access.
Change up your routine by stopping yourself from looking at your phone first thing in the morning and last thing at night by putting your phone in a separate room from where you sleep. The dependency on your phone to start and end the day only adds to the addiction, so reducing this need will help you put your phone down.
Our final tip in order to put down your phone is to be accountable for your mobile use. Have a look at how much time you are spending on each app; IOS devices have this feature built-in already. If the numbers you see are considerably higher than you would like, set yourself some targets to motivate you in reducing the time spent.
We hope these tips will help you to reduce the time spent on your phone and enable you to focus or enjoy the real world from time to time.
