7 tips against your smartphone addiction
By: Claudio Corti
Tags: Addiction, Mobile, Mindfulness, Mental Health, UX

1. AVOID IDLE MOMENTS

It's usually during transitional breaks or moments of boredom, that we tend to reach for our phones as an automatic reaction to fulfil the void in the waiting time. According to Jamison Monroe, CEO of Newport Academy, the best thing you can do to avoid scrolling is to create a list of things you could do during your idle moments.

The key is to come up with options that appeal to you.

Here's some for you:

You could be taking a walk

You could be writing on paper with a pen

You could be singing or dancing to your own favourite song

You could drop down and do 10 push-ups (or stretch… actually maybe stretch)

You could be closing your eyes, and meditate for up to 10 minutes.

2. USE TECH TO ELIMINATE TECH

Download apps that can tell you the times you've checked your phone on the same day you are using your phone in order to trigger warnings of breaking self-imposed limits. These Apps can lock your apps for you for a specified amount of time to help you place your attention away from your smartphone.

Facebook released a feature called “Quiet Mode” earlier in 2020, allowing users to minimize distractions by muting the app’s push notifications for a time frame pre-specified. What I particularly like about it, is that you could set Quiet Mode to automatically run during your workday to reduce your temptation to waste time in the app. Furthermore, if you try to launch Facebook during Quiet Mode, the app will remind you that you’ve set this time aside with the goal of limiting your time in the app. I honestly can’t wait for this to be also rolled out for Instagram & WhatsApp.

Other apps that I would recommend are AppDetox or AppBlock. Otherwise, may other exists in the App Store / Google Play.

3. MAKE USE OF YOUR OWN NOTIFICATIONS

Leverage your calendar to set daily reminders (via e-mail & push notification). This will find its way to become the most useful and healthy push notification on your phone.

4. UNPLUG BEFORE BED

This is the toughest one to adopt in the short-term, but the healthiest in the long-term. An hour before you go to sleep, avoid any tech or electronic device. The blue wavelength light emitted from digital screens interrupts the production of Melatonin, which gives our brain the signal to go sleep & rest.

Melatonin, known as the darkness hormone.

Leave your device on a desk far from your bed, or in other room to avoid temptation.

5. START SMALL

We tend to go big or go home. Pride aside, start small to test the waters and slowly reduce your screen time. For example:

Turn off your phone during dinner, or leave it away from the table.

Leave it at home when going for walks

Define a daily limit — e.g. 3 hours x day tracked no phone time.

Trust a partner or friend to hold it for you during work time.

Allow yourself to grab it when taking mandatory breaks.

6. TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS

Think of a smartphone as the world's smallest slot machine — it elevates your dopamine receptors, and continues that behavior over and over again as it offers an unpredictable award just like in gambling. These awards are triggered by notifications (whether useful/useless, good or bad).

Silence notifications for all social channels to make yourself less tempted to look at your phone every few seconds.

In case of work dependancy, make sure to connect the relevant apps on your work laptop instead.

Think of accessing social media updates as your reward for your hard work, making your time more enjoyable.

Watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix if you need more convincing on silencing some Apps.

7. PLAN BREAKS.

Commit to taking daily breaks, during which time you turn off your phone and put it out of sight and out of reach. To make the most out of your break, plan a specific activity to do to fill in the gap. I usually prep myself a nice Italian-made coffee, head out with my coffee and go for a short [mindful] walk around the block without my phone. However, do try to do the same also during meals or other specific daily events — pay attention to what is going on around you.

Recommendation: Let your friends or colleagues know, in order to allow for you to fully detach and maximise your mindfulness during your break; for them to give you some space.