Applatch
Applatch
In our previous article we showed you the statistics on smartphone addiction, hopefully that would be all you need to take it seriously. Smartphone addiction like every other addiction is a habit, and if there is one thing we know about habits is they are hard to break but definitely not impossible. It needs a lot of strong will, a certain amount of self- discipline and a sprinkle of determination to make it happen.
Starting small is okay; with time maturity in this capacity will come naturally. There are certain activities we can engage in that would help in curbing smartphone addiction and finally breaking free from it.
1. Set app limits
What this is asking you to do is to set a time limit on apps you know you spend so much time on, especially doing unproductive things. We know ourselves, we know the apps that take up the majority of our time.
You can set a time limit on your phone and once you have used up the time you allocated; your phone tells you it is time to take a step back from this app and time for a fresh breath.
2. Track your screen time
One of the best ways to cut down on your smartphone usage is tracking the amount of time you spend on your screen. Find out how much time you usually spend on your screen and then make weekly goals to slowly cut back on it .
Always ensure that every week your screen time is lesser than the previous week, this would fast track your progress in reducing the time you spend on your screen. This is one of the fast ways to break smartphone addiction.
3. Try out Deep work
Deep work puts you in a state where you perform activities with a distraction-free concentration and it also allows you to push your cognitive abilities to their limits.
You definitely want to give it a try.
4. Take a digital sabbath
You can start with taking two days off all your digital devices; this means no internet. No smartphone practically anything that can keep you connected virtually. It can be hard at first because we majorly live on our smartphones but with time we get better at it. Going off the grid helps us find healthier activity to get involved in and it also restores our independent nature.
There have been cases of people that started with just 24hrs and right now they can go a month, give yourself time, don’t be too hard on yourself, be consistent.
5. Fit in a tech time out
Taking a digital sabbath might be hard for beginners; try fitting in a tech time out in your schedule. What this means is, you dedicate a certain time during the day to engage in non-techy activities that would help you get the dopamine your brain releases from using your smartphone.
Get involved in activities like talking to people physically, taking a walk, playing board games; whatever it is you enjoy doing that is in no relation to anything “digital” and it is of course healthy.
Progress might start small but the rate of improvement is always insignificant, relinquishing power to smartphones is not a part of the options; therefore doing all we can to break its hold is all we can do.