Anyone else feel like their phone has taken control of their life? I know I can’t be the only one. Over the summer I decided that I didn’t want to be so attached to my phone, so I explored different ways to think about and limit my screen time. Since I’ve implemented these changes, my screen time has gone down 30% (according to my iPhone screen time feature), and it drops a little more every week. Give them a try! It’s surprisingly freeing to look up once in a while.
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Utilize the screen time feature on your iPhone
The screen time feature on my iPhone has bullied me a time of two, but I really appreciate having it because it gets me thinking about how much time I’m spending online. This feature can be found in the settings of your iPhone.
2. Turn off your notifications
You might feel weirdly disconnected at first, but you’ll soon discover that you don’t really need to know the second that someone likes your Instagram post, mentions you in a comment on Facebook, or tweets. Not only will your screen look a lot less cluttered, but your mind will feel a lot less cluttered and your attention span will be better if you aren’t breaking your focus every 2 minutes when you feel your phone buzz.
3. Set time limits and down time for yourself
I have a time limit set on my phone for social media. After two hours on social media, my apps go dark; I can still open them if I want to, but it’s a great way to gauge how much time you’re spending online in one day. Additionally, I have down time set from 1 am to 6 am. It has the same look as the time limit, but it makes me less likely to sit on my phone for 45 minutes if I randomly wake up in the middle of the night.
4. Let your phone die once in a while
If you’re having trouble tearing yourself away from your phone when you’re with friends, studying, or in class, try just letting the battery die. This way you can’t use it even if you want to. This really helps me during late night study sessions when I need to get stuff done because it forces me to have self-control.
5. Leave your phone out of reach while studying
This tip is similar to the last one. The idea here is to leave your phone in your bag, on the far side of the table, or even on the other side of the room; anywhere you can leave it to make it inconvenient for you to pick it up and play with it.
6. Commit to not using your phone in class at all
This one seems like common sense, but sadly, it’s not. You’re at college to get an education and a large portion of your time is spent sitting in the classroom. Out of respect for your professor, leave your phone in your bag during class. Out of sight, out of mind is a real thing, and you’d be surprised how much more you’ll get out of your class if you’re actively listening and participating.