After graduation I took on a whole new kind of “busy.” I was no longer busy being a student – I didn’t have assignments, readings, and exams to deal with. Instead, I began exploring the new world of being free from school. I took on a few new projects, got a job, and dipped my toes into the entrepreneur life.
Not to mention that, while I was actively soul-searching, I also had a massive summer reading list that I barely cracked.
It seemed that the busier I got, the more time I wasted. In the morning, I’d wake up and check my business emails, and then I’d spend an extra 30 minutes checking every single social media app I had. The more time I spent mindlessly browsing, the more frustrated I got with myself. The kicker was, regardless of how badly I wanted to stop spending time staring at my phone, I still did it.
Cellphone usage has sparked a ton of interest among researchers, psychologists, and scientists. Our phones have been linked to sleep disorders, trouble concentrating, and negative psychological effects. The screen on our phones is a stimulant, so checking your phone before bed will more than likely interfere with your sleep.
Science Daily published an article on a study that showed that even just hearing a notification on your phone, regardless of whether you’re looking at your phone or not, can completely throw you off whatever task you were doing. Our phones prevent us from living in the now. Instead of using free time as an opportunity to be with ourselves, or to just enjoy some fresh air, we take to our phones for a handy distraction.
They not only prevent us from experiencing the moment, but they also dampen our ability to focus on a task or thought.
As a writer, my phone is the deciding factor between whether I am going to get a piece of writing done or not. When a paper is particularly difficult or I am struggling with getting the right words down, it is so easy for me to take to my phone and scroll through every feed possible to distract myself from the fact that I have to get this paper done. For those of you who just as confused as I am as to where to take our lives after university, spending less time on your phone could be a key to discovering more about yourself. Though I am still trying to master “unplugging”, I have compiled a few tips that I find useful in breaking away from my phone.
Turn off your notifications
Why on Earth is your Snapchat or Facebook app sending you notifications? Go through your notifications list and ask yourself “Will I survive if this app doesn’t send me updates?”
Take advantage of “silent” and “vibrate” options
To give my phone less of a presence in my life, I adjusted my settings so that the only thing that makes noise on my phone is an actual incoming call.
Get rid of your phone at night
Clear the air by turning your phone off or even just leaving it in another room overnight. Putting it away will help you to break the habit of checking your phone first thing in the morning. If you use your phone as your alarm, put it on airplane mode overnight or just get a real alarm clock (remember those?).
Wear a watch
I have a hunch that most of us check our phones throughout the day to check the time. What better way to check your phone less often than by wearing a watch?
Unplug
Similar to putting your phone away at night, take time throughout your day to free yourself. Maybe make it a rule that you keep your phone in a different room during dinner. Take time at the end of your day to wind down and relax, and make putting your phone in another room part of this daily routine.