Finding the right target to reduce phone usage is one thing, being able to achieve it is another.
Some people try therapy, and even psychologists use medication to treat related dependencies such as Internet addiction.
For those who want to find a method to do it themselves at home, here are 3 ways you can see results.
Set focused browsing time
This may sound counterintuitive, but please listen further. Many cases of electronic device abuse can be blamed on unconsciousness, inattention. A 2018 study in Australia found that 86% of adults admitted to “automatically” using their smartphones.
For example, if there is a 15-second wait on an elevator or a red light, you might take your phone out and browse it. You don’t even realize you’re looking at it. Basically, you’re just killing time.
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| Arthur C. Brooks, a professor of the practice of public leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and a professor of practice at the Harvard Business School, shared on The Atlantic about some effective methods for those who want to overcome phone addiction. |
The best way to resist unconscious browsing is to use it consciously. Set aside time every day or every week to look at your phone and really concentrate on using it. Don’t do anything else except use your phone as if it were your job.
By following the teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh in his book “The Miracle of Mindfulness”: “Washing the dishes should only be washing the dishes, that is, when washing the dishes, the person must fully recognize that they are doing this work”.
Studies have found that mindfulness is very effective in treating addiction. In addition, this practice can help you realize how much you don’t enjoy looking at your phone.
Turn off notifications
Most addictions are related to a neurotransmitter called dopamine.
It controls desire and spikes when we receive signals around the environment such as advertisements or reminders to do something satisfying, such as smoking, gambling, or checking the phone.
Smartphones manipulate our dopamine through sounds and banners displayed on the screen, notifications that someone has messaged or mentioned you in a post. It makes you open the phone and immediately see it to satisfy your curiosity.
The solution here is very simple. Turn off all notifications except for work-related apps and the phone ringing for your mom’s call.
Create separation from your phone
If you’re trying to eat healthier, a common advice that nutritionists often give is to avoid having snacks in the house. This shows that unhealthy eating is an option that you can do without thinking and without effort to change.
The same idea can be applied to phone addiction. Isolate areas in your home where the phone is out of reach, such as the dining table or bedroom.
I usually charge my phone in the kitchen before going to bed upstairs. If I wake up at night, I don’t feel like checking my phone because I don’t want to go downstairs.
In fact, some people take this idea more seriously. For example, Cal Newport, a digital technology scholar, supports the method of the “phone waiting room”.
He leaves his phone next to the main entrance door whenever he gets home and does not use it until he leaves. If he needs to use it, he goes to the “waiting room” and only uses it in this self-imposed space.
According to Zing
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