Is your phone usage out of control? If so, you may want to consider cutting down.
I have a personal anecdote for you. Recently, my phone broke. The cost of getting it repaired was prohibitively expensive, so I found myself going phone-less for a while.
It was inconvenient in many respects, sure – not being able to order a takeaway while sinking into my couch was hearbreaking – but, after the initial shock, I grew to enjoy it.
I began to feel calmer and more focused. Not being constantly stimulated, it turns out, is a salve for a busy mind.
It also gave me a lot of perspective on how much smartphones had eroded my patience. Before this, my phone had become a necessary part of my commute to and from the office. I always needed to be on social media, listening to music or checking out podcasts to pass the time both on public transport and impatiently waiting for it.
With no phone, I’m able to sit in peaceful silence without getting frustrated or needing to distract myself, and I think it actually leaves me in a better and calmer headspace when I start my day.
Now, I will admit, I still had a laptop that I could watch Netflix and play Steam games on at home, but even the reprieve on my commute and in the hours before I headed to bed made a big difference to my state of mind.
My smartphone detox was forced. I imagine it might have been more difficult to abstain from phone usage if I knew in the back of my mind that it was sitting there waiting to be used.
CashNetUSA has compiled this wonderful guide for those of who want to be less reliant on smartphones, but don’t have the type of unintentional push I had when my phone’s battery shuffled off this mortal coil.
Apparently, the average person spends 2.4 hours a day using a smartphone. If this horrifies you, check out some of these great tips and tricks for reducing your usage.
Infographic: CashNetUSA
