(Maybe not an official break up… But some time out, at least!)
When I was in my early twenties; I lived my life without having to be constantly contactable.
If I needed to speak to someone; I would find a way to catch up with them and chat in person. If something important happened in the world; I’d find out about it through those around me. If anyone wanted anything from me; they would find a way to get in touch.
Now; you can get at me 24/7 - all thanks to my smartphone. I am never unplugged. You can literally reach me around the clock; through emails, social media, texts, calls and the countless apps I have downloaded.
I feel naked if I forget to take my phone somewhere. And I’m not alone.
As a society, we are always on - all the time.
It’s normal to like a post, seconds after you’ve been tagged; or to reply to a message that’s come in at some insanely early hour of the morning. It’s common to check your home screen every five seconds - just in case there’s a new notification.
We snapchat sunsets and livestream gigs.
With smartphones, the entire world is literally in our pockets - and continuously buzzing and beeping to get our attention. We are wired to respond to instant rewards, so we are always checking for the next ‘prize’.
Don’t get me wrong; smartphones and social media are amazing! It’s just that sometimes we need to make some boundaries.
Have you ever been on your phone and asked yourself, what am I getting out of this? Do you really need to be arguing in the comments section with a faceless stranger from across the world, or learning how to twerk? If you’ve been questioning your smartphone usage, it might be time to take a step back from the relationship.
Here are 7 ways to ‘take some time out’ from your phone:
1. Stop being so emotionally invested
Let’s be real. Your phone doesn’t give a fuck about you.
It couldn’t care less if you are having a panic attack because it’s on low battery. It doesn’t miss you if you forget it. Start monitoring the amount of time you are investing in your phone.
Actually keep track of how you long you are looking at a screen - it might be a wakeup call.
2. Try a detox
If you’re spending too much time comparing the worst parts of yourself to the best parts of others, it may be good to unplug for a while. Challenge yourself to a social media detox for a week, a day - heck even an hour, if that’s all you can manage!
Turn off all notifications, so you aren’t distracted or tempted. If you feel the urge to check your phone, be strong and resist it - it will get easier!
3. Stop checking the news
How do headlines like these from yesterday’s news make you feel?:
- Woman fights for life after being stabbed in back in street - Man used terrifying gorilla suit to peep through people’s windows - Woman lost forehead after resting knees on dashboard before horror crash - Tourist begs for life on holiday - and her rapist is still out there
Do you think it will add value to your life if you read them? Or will it just make your imagination run riot and picture how these things could happen to you? So much news is driven by fear and anxiety. Take a break from constantly checking what’s happening. Trust me, if there’s something you need to hear about, you will find out.
4. Look Around
This might sound obvious, but put your phone down and look around. Play with your kids, smile at a stranger, admire the colour of the sky. Make a conscious effort to live life outside of your screen. Go and see your friends and enjoy some face-to-face contact.
Prioritise spending your time enjoying the good stuff - the things that are really important. Experiences, food, people, places - only you know what your ‘good stuff’ is.
5. Get Rid of the Guilt
Don’t feel like you always have be available, or be on call. Because you don’t.
You literally don’t have to answer that text or email. There’s no rule that says you must update your social media. You just don’t. It’s okay to step away and totally unplug for a while if you need to. Most importantly, you don’t need to tell to anyone why they can’t contact you.
No explanations necessary.
6. Clean it All Up
If you’re anything like me you probably have fifty-thousand (unused) apps on your phone. Just like you’d clean and purge your home, declutter your phone. Cull all the apps you no longer use; as the overload of choices is stressful.
The other thing to clean up are your photos. Narrow down your galleries. Delete duplicates and bursts. Keep only the best of the best.
7. Make Some Boundaries
Don’t start your morning off scrolling through your phone. And don’t end your night doing it, either. Phones impact the quantity and quality of our sleep, by throwing off our natural rhythms. The stimulation can also make it hard for us to shut down, as your mind can be overly activated.
Ban your phone from being in your bedroom, so you can focus on actually resting.
Hopefully these tips will help to you to create a healthy space for yourself, and make your relationship with your smartphone a little bit easier to manage.
If you have any other tips or tricks on how to ‘break up’ with your smartphone, please drop them in the comments below.
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