My iPhone sends me a report every week about the time I spend on it. It's scary to imagine 9-11 hours a day! This affects all areas of life - I rarely communicate with loved ones in reality; later I go to bed and constantly struggle with a broken rhythm; I can eat more than I wanted, simply because I got stuck in the movie while eating. I understand what a waste of time it is, so I decided to figure out what to do with gadget addiction.
Signs of gadget addiction
To begin with, let's check what kind of relationship you have with gadgets - do you have an addiction, like I do, or can you safely spend the weekend at the dacha with relatives, where there is not even a real connection, and not go crazy.
Here are the 4 most striking signs:
- You already have a callus on your finger from the phone. Most zoomers and millennials have a deformed little finger, because it helps to hold large phones with one hand - it is slightly curved, corns appear on it.
- Most of the day you spend on gadgets. You get up in the morning, turn off the alarm clock, have breakfast with your phone and wash your face, go to work, and there you sit all the time on the computer, go home, and then watch a movie on TV.
- Constantly check notifications. According to a study, 89% of people feel the vibration of the phone, which in fact was not there, and 86% constantly check email and social networks for no particular reason.
- Communicating with someone in reality, you can stick to the phone.
If you can put an imaginary tick on most of the signs, most likely you have an “unhealthy relationship” with gadgets - it’s difficult for you to do without them for a long time, and if you need to give them up for a long time, panic sets in.
How gadgets affect us
The key problem with gadgets is that they are highly addictive and cause stress. It would seem a harmless phone, but what harm to health and personal efficiency.
Depression sets in
Scientists conducted an experiment among Facebook users: for two weeks they constantly asked about their well-being and mood. Those who regularly used social networks complained of a worsening condition.
On Instagram, you see a beautiful picture, someone else's success, and you think that something is wrong with you if everything in your life is not like others. In reality, a beautiful picture is not so beautiful, and someone else's success is exaggerated, but you forget about it and sink into depression. It's like a trend towards awareness and productivity among bloggers - when you look at how easily others achieve everything, you begin to compare and criticize yourself.
Memory worsens
With the advent of the Internet, everyone was delighted - now you can easily find any information, and you don’t need to remember anything. But if you do not train your memory, the brain becomes lazier and begins to remember information worse.
Sleep deprivation appears
When you sit on the phone before going to bed, actively leafing through the tape and texting, the heartbeat quickens, and the brain thinks it's too early to rest. Because of this, insomnia occurs more often, sleep patterns are disturbed, mood worsens and lethargy appears.
Communication worsens
With the help of gadgets, you can communicate with a person from anywhere in the world, but the price of convenience is indifference to others. When people gather together in cafes or other places, people are more likely to be distracted by notifications or “go” to the phone, which reduces the quality of communication.
I do not want to say that gadgets are evil. I use them all the time in my work and life. But they certainly do some harm. And if you reduce their presence in your life, your mood and well-being will improve, and more free time will appear. This is where a digital detox can help.
How to take a break from gadgets
Digital detox is different. You can just use gadgets a little less, or you can completely abandon them for a day or more. Both options will improve your condition - reduce stress, increase concentration and productivity, and free up time for self-development and personal life.
You can't just give up on gadgets for a long time. Move towards a new lifestyle in small steps.
Delete unnecessary
Get rid of distractions - delete social networks that you rarely use, only out of habit going to “scroll the feed”. If you use social networks for communication, go to some messenger - compared to social networks, they are not so addictive (even if there are channels).
Then remove other apps that you don't use very often and just looming around tempting you to stop by and kill some time. Demolish games first is a dangerous weapon that can prevent you from striving for productivity. Reduce the number of subscriptions, delete unnecessary tabs so as not to be distracted.
Silence Notifications
I often get distracted by notifications, forgetting about tasks. And if I try to ignore them to get the job done, I get even more nervous because my thoughts are already there, on the phone. Vicious circle.
To make notifications less distracting, turn on Do Not Disturb and turn off the sound so you stop picking up your phone with every new message.
Eat without a phone
Many people like to watch TV shows or videos on YouTube while eating. This is bad - in order for food to be digested, you need to focus on chewing, without being distracted by anything. When you throw food into yourself while watching, the body absorbs it more slowly and worse, and satiety comes later, although the stomach is already full. Completely give up gadgets while eating. It is better to eat slowly, but feel full faster.
Turn off gadgets before bed
Quality sleep (lasting 7-8 hours) improves productivity, reduces stress, and prevents lethargy and fatigue. It is important to go to bed and get up at the same time and replace the blue screen light with yellow to minimize the occurrence of insomnia. Try to turn on “Night Mode” an hour before bedtime, and 15-20 minutes before bedtime, give up the phone altogether – this way you will fall asleep faster.
Find a replacement
Without gadgets, there is a feeling that there is nothing to do with yourself. But if you find a replacement that will involve you in the process and help you forget about gadgets, the detox will be more painless.
What to replace:
- Emotional replacement - if you want to throw out feelings. For this, board games, creativity, books are suitable.
- Physical replacement is for those who want more activities. These are sports, walking with friends, dancing, etc.
It is also worth replacing gadgets with analogues in order to be less distracted. Wear a watch, use a notepad and a paper calendar, etc.
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