After watching the documentary film, The Social Dilemma, I was scared of how much time I spend on my phone.
In the film, tech experts come together to talk about how social media impacts mental health, human social interaction, and how we, as consumers, are being influenced by social media.
We are all guilty of being on our phones while spending time with our friends and you have gotten tired of being preached to about how social media is bad. The truth of the matter is that we do not realize how much time we spend on our phones daily.
For me, I average seven hours and twenty-four minutes per day on my phone. When I first set up my screen time on my iPhone, I was averaging over eleven hours per day and that got me to thinking – “How much do I miss?” Here are three reasons you should consider limiting your screen time:
- Social Media Affects Your Mental Health
-
In 2017, the American Journal of Epidemiology reported that higher social media use correlates with declines in physical and mental health. It is not healthy for us as individuals to constantly be on an electronic device.
I know personally it feels like I constantly have something I can check on my phone, but I like to make the decision to turn off my phone for at least an hour a day. When I practice this, I start to feel better and my mind feels clearer. I also have found that I don’t have as many headaches when I am off of my device for a while. Instead of being glued to your screen, you can do other activities like playing a musical instrument, reading a book, or doing a craft.
- Social Media Creates Echo-Chambers
-
With the presidential election coming up, young voters everywhere are gearing up to head to the polls in November. One major way that young adults are informed of social issues is through Facebook and Twitter.
Social media outlets cater content to the user and try to recommend content the app knows the user will interact with. This recommendation tactic can be harmful because it only shows one side of a story and does not give users an opportunity to have a well-rounded view of the world.
For instance, an internal Facebook report from 2018 reported that 64% of people who joined extremists groups were steered there by the algorithm.
As a user of these social media outlets, I make sure to fact check articles I find. By fact-checking an article, I learn more information about the situation presented in the article and become more informed.
Instead of relying on social media, I like to have civil conversations with my friends about political issues so that I can have a well-rounded perspective of what others are experiencing. I find that this not only helps my view of the world, but helps me connect with those around me.
- Your Phone is a Major Distratction
-
When you are on your phone, you miss experiencing the world and people around you. For me, I enjoy the personal connection I have with my friends when we are not on our phones around each other. I feel special when my friends give me their undivided attention and it does not feel like I am competing for their attention with their phone.
If I am trying to have a conversation with someone and they are staring at their phone the whole time, I feel like what I have to say is not important to them. Then I get on my phone and we end up just sitting on our phones and not talking to each other.
Also, when I am on my phone, I miss out on the sights and sounds around me. Next time you are outside, I challenge you to listen to the sounds around you! I know I love to listen as I walk to class or my car. On the University of Montevallo’s campus, you can hear birds, squirrels, distant conversation, and if you are lucky, you can hear the campus bell that rings on the hour. It is amazing how much you miss when you do not give something your undivided attention.
I highly recommend you check out The Social Dilemma on Netflix and that you visit their website to learn more about the impact of social media