An average number of people around the world check their mobile phones almost a hundred times per day. Not all that. These people also spend their time using their devices for not less than 5 hours. That is nearly a third of every person’s waking hours. Considering the non-stop usage of the mobile device, we can say that it is somehow related to addiction. And now that we are on lockdown due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the temptation of using it at an extreme level arises. So how can we decrease spending too much time with our digital phones?
Source: wallpaperflare.com
Use The Device Only With A Purpose
Being active on social media platforms is okay. Perhaps it is your way to get news and information from the current situation of the world. But to refrain from smartphone addiction, use the device only with a purpose of knowing. Use it to contact a family or friend, or when you want to access government and healthcare chat support. Just avoid checking it subconsciously. Discipline yourself not to use the device for more than an hour and only find time to use it when necessary. Yes, this process of self-control is not easy. However, you can benefit a lot from the struggle. You might appreciate yourself for becoming independent and away from your phone for more extended periods.
Source: peakpx.com
Turn Of Your Internet
One way that triggers the usage of smartphones is due to the internet connection. It is considered the biggest distraction that links to overusing a digital device. With all the access to social media posts, video entertainments, pictures, and memes, you can easily get caught up with it. Yes, it is one of the essential things as of today. However, it still poses a risk for smartphone addiction, especially now that there has been a limit to some things that you can do. So to avoid that condition, choose to turn off the internet and only turn it on when required.
Source: pikrepo.com
Switch Off Push Notifications
In case the internet is so essential that you can’t turn it off, consider changing your phone settings. Try to switch off ALL push notifications from your mobile device applications. Not only these push notifications distract you, but it also increases the mental torture of eagerly wanting to know what makes your device pops a sound. Technology should not decide when you would need it. You should be the one who creates the rules of when you should use or check your mobile device. You should control technology and not the other way around.
Source: pikrepo.com
Look For An Alternative
Instead of continually looking and scrolling on your mobile device for news feeds and information, you might want to consider using other avenues. You can watch television or listen to the radio podcast to get even with the details of the outbreak. You can read newspapers as well. You can try can calling a friend on a landline phone to get updates. There are multiple ways that technology can help without getting stuck for hours on a smartphone. And if in case your purpose of using the device is for entertainment, you can find something else that requires non-digital usage. These can include reading books, writing a journal, drawing and painting, and a lot more.
With the increased smartphone usage during this COVID-19 lockdown, the risk of developing an addiction is at stake. You need to understand that the number of seconds you always use to check your mobile device can sum up a total of an accomplished task. So when you feel bored, try to consider looking for alternative activities to video games on your mobile phone and find productive things to do.