If you're addicted to your smartphone, you're not alone. Studies have shown that millennials use their phones an average of 80 to 150 times a day. However, many millennials have also stated that their relationships with their phones are healthy, creating a better work-life balance for them.
But not everything is rosy. There's a notorious downside of using your cellphone too much, including weakening of your social skills and increased stress and anxiety. To see how you can healthily break your smartphone addiction, keep reading below.
Track your usage and decrease it little by little
The idea of stop using your smartphone forever might be too though, so you don't have to go to the extreme. What you can do to start is to simply track your usage. Most smartphones, especially iPhones, include special settings that allow you to check how much time you spend on your cellphone.
You can also do it by downloading some apps like SPACE or Moment, but that's only if you really can't find another way.
Avoid scrolling
Many social network apps like Instagram and Pinterest have infinite scrolling functions, which is why you can end up consuming an endless batch of information.
Infinite scrolling can be tricky as it can make you lose track of time and therefore, make you forget about other priorities. Therefore, avoid it whenever possible. It doesn't mean that you have to uninstall all the apps having it, but at least try to check them as little as possible.
If possible, set a time limit for each day. For example, some people set a limit of 1 hour for social media a day. It might be useful!
Keep only the apps that you really need
Avoid having too many apps on your cellphone if you know you're not gonna use it. It might also be an addiction to keep downloading apps every time, especially if you spend too much time on the app store.
Keep only those apps that you really need for specific things. For example, some apps are necessary for things like taking professional photos. You can use iVisa for that, which is a useful app for many situations, including updating a personal document.
However, be mindful about that and remember to stick only to the necessary.
Turn Off most of your notifications, if not all
Our smartphones are made to increase our connectivity with other people, so it's not that bad, but it's also necessary to take a break from notifications once in a while. Therefore, try to turn off most of your notifications, if not all of them.
You might use your cellphone for work as well, and in that case, it's ok if you leave the notifications as long as it's only while you're working. For the rest, always take a break from it.
Don’t use your cell phone first thing in the morning
Using your cell phone as soon as you open your eyes can be harmful because in this way you can increase the addiction. Therefore, try to limit its use and only go to it once you have done the basics of your morning routine. Rest assured that this way you'll feel much better.
