Tackling your worst enemies: Smartphones & Social Media
Do you have your phone on you 24x7? Do you have the urge to check your phone every 5–10 minutes? Do you browse your phone first thing after waking up in the morning and last thing before you sleep? Do you have a fear of missing out?
Then, don’t doubt it, you are addicted to your smartphone.
Just because smartphone addiction is common, it does not mean that it isn’t bad. The addiction, the burst of dopamine, the excessive use, the separation anxiety — it’s just as bad as any drug addiction.
What’s wrong with that?
Lots of things. Most things that we know but choose to ignore.
We spend way too much time on our smartphones to not care about it’s ill effects. Anything we spend that much time on, will have lasting effects on our lives.
Here’s some things you want to think about:
- Lost productivity. I had to start with the most obvious one. Is there something that you’ve been wanting to do for really long? Picking up a new hobby or starting your side project? Or maybe even just reading books off your wish list? Those things for which you always complained you did not have enough time for?
If you’re wondering why you haven’t started yet, chances are it’s because you spend way too much time on your smart phone. Have you ever added up how much time you’ve lost scrolling through social media feeds? Think of all the things you could get done if it weren’t for your phone. - Worsening Mental Health. I can not stress this enough. A recent study found that those who used social media more intensively on average had lower life satisfaction.
The need to feel validated, the need for likes and online gratification has left us feeling worse about ourselves than ever. If we constantly compare our lives to others, how can we be happy?
I could go on about this. Rather, do read this and this article to understand the mental health affects of social media. Also watch this video for former Facebook exec talk about social media. - Engaging in negative/demotivating content. I’m sure you’ve all heard the quote “we are what we eat”. Let me paraphrase that. You are what you consume. If you constantly consume negative content, or posts that don’t make you happy, that demotivate you — that is going to make you negative. You are going to be demotivated.
If you consume content that has no relevance to you, or does not do you any good — it’s not worth it.
“If you feed the beast, that beast will destroy you. If you push back on it, you have a chance to control it and rein it in.” —
How do I start a digital detox?
Alright alright, don’t be bummed out! If you’re still reading, that’s awesome! You’ve already started your detox. Recognizing the problem and wanting to change is substantial to make or break a habit.
Here are some ideas you can try to curb your Internet/Social Media/Phone addiction
- Don’t wake up and sleep with your phone. lol. This is so important. There are so many side effects to this. It affects your health, your sleep, your eyes! Besides waking up in the morning and just laying in bed scrolling through your phone makes you LAAAAZY!
Wake up and follow a fixed routine instead. Make your bed, freshen up, read a book, anything. Just keep your phone away the first hour of waking up. Also before going to sleep. You will sleep better, faster and earlier! - Out of sight, out of mind. This works like gold! Put your phone on silent and away from you when you’re ‘in the zone’. When you need to get something done, focus on only that, and keep your phone away. And most importantly, put it on silent.
When I’m working, I usually keep my phone somewhere I can’t easily pick it up. If i don’t see it, I forget about it. This works! - Clean out apps on your phone. If there’s an app on your phone that you haven’t used in the last month, delete it.
Every app thinks that it is the only one on your phone. They bombard you with messages and notifications that are irrelevant to you. This just adds to to unnecessary information you consume. - Reduce your social media accounts/apps. Do you really need 5 apps to keep track of all your updates? Do you really need to be posting the same info on your Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook AND Snapchat?
Consider cutting down to just 2 apps for your social media content. Don’t worry, you won’t miss out on much. - Think, do I need this? Why did I just grab my phone? What am I ‘checking’ for? Do I need to know this? What value is this adding to my life?
Be more mindful of your actions, rather than picking up the phone by habit. Think about if you really need to ‘check’ your phone right now. Do you have something better you need to do? - Un-follow people/brands/accounts that don’t add value. You know some friends or family that you follow because you are ‘socially obligated’ to, but you can’t stand their feed? Those friends who might be gold in real life, but their social presence is just annoying? The celebrities/brands/influencers who make you feel bad about yourself? UNFOLLOW. You don’t need that negativity in your life. Don’t think twice, just unfollow!
- Instead, follow accounts with motivational and positive feeds that puts a smile on your face!
- Find other ‘distractions’. Divert your attention. Engage yourself in other activities. What about that side project you’ve always wanted to launch? Probably finish reading those books you’ve always wanted to. Pick up a new instrument maybe. Try out new recipes. Some self care. The options are endless!
Once you keep yourself occupied, you won’t have the time to check your phone. Apart from that, you really wouldn’t want to. You’ve already got your dopamine dose for the day from doing things you actually love. - Replace your phone activities. Basically smartphones are another way of doing things you’ve always done. For example, use a real clock for alarms. Pick up a physical book/kindle to read books. Use a watch to check your time. Take notes in a book. Think through all the things you use your phone for and see if you can substitute that with something else.
- Reward yourself. Okay, we’re human, we need entertainment alright. Reward yourself with entertainment time when you’ve done something productive. Example, I’m going to reward myself with 1 episode of this TV show if I get this work done.
But be mindful to not overdo it either. Too many rewards won’t work either. And stick to the timelines you give yourself. 💯
Closing thoughts
Look, social media is here to stay alright. I’m not suggesting that you delete all your social media and throw away your phone. No, that’s not how it works. You need to power through it.
What’s important to understand is that this addiction is in your control. You decide whether you want to give these digital evils the power to ruin you, or whether you want to rise above.
Understand why you need to do this. And try this digital detox for 10 days. Just 10 days.
You’ll instantly realize how much time you have on your hands. Not to mention how much better you feel.
I’ve been practicing these steps for a while and it has really worked for me. I rarely check my phone. I don’t feel the need to check my phone. Besides, I’ve got much better use of my time. I started this blog, I started a podcast, I picked up a new instrument, I finally published my website that I’ve been wanting to do for years. And all of this, without slacking at my day job.
It’s not impossible. It’s just a matter of taking a conscious and mindful effort.
More power to you ✌
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