We’re the technological generation. Everyone had a phone by high school, which was fun and depending on what kind you had it made you cooler. Now, my phone is like my 5th limb. I often think about what it’d be like if I lost my phone, and I genuinely don’t know how I’d go through my everyday life… not being dramatic or anything.
It’s gotten to the point where I’ll be watching TV and I feel the need to be on my phone – but, why? I know I don’t need two screens in front of my face, but something tells me I do.
Everyone knows that apps like Instagram can lower your self confidence, which nobody needs, so how do we fix this problem? Here are some tips on how to detox from your phone:
1. “Do Not Disturb” is your friend
I’ve found this to be especially true while studying. Getting notifications while studying is like putting candy in front of a baby; it takes you down a dark hole. Putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” can eliminate those distractions until your study breaks, and I also do this during class so I don’t get distracted there either.
2. Put your phone in another room
This is more for when you’re at home. If you leave your phone in another room, you can be more present with your roommates, friends and other guests in your home. It may feel like you’re missing a part of you, but if you can’t see it, you may not be as tempted to be on it.
3. Take a social media break
One of the main reasons I go on my phone other than to make calls and text is to mindlessly scroll through Twitter and Instagram. While watching videos of dogs and babies on Instagram or stalking Ryan Reynolds on Twitter is an invaluable use of my time, it’s not the best. Eliminating some of those apps might make you less inclined to go on your phone since there’s less to see. It could also be better for your mental health to not give a frick about what other people are doing and live your own life.
4. Download an app to realize how much you use your phone
This could be a slap-in-the-face realization about how much you use your phone and it might make you say, “Whoa there, let’s slow down.” There are apps called “Monster” and “Moment”, which both tell you how much time you spend on your phone; they also let you set a limit for how much you actually want to spend. Honestly, this one scares me because ignorance is bliss – but sometimes you just need to know where to start so you can head in the right direction.
5. Turn your notifications off
We all use our phones more when we see we have notifications, so not seeing those would stop us from opening our phone altogether and entering that rabbit hole. Notifications like Snapchats are exciting because it’s like Christmas; you don’t know what you’re going to get. However, it shouldn’t be Christmas every 15 minutes.
While we’re all super-glued to our phones, they take time away from our everyday life. We’d all probably have so much extra time in the day if we weren’t on our phones every other second – and isn’t that what it’s about? Being in the moment rather than being wrapped up in temporary technology? I know it’s difficult, but try your best out there, collegiettes!