How to Use Your Device Less and Live More
We Bet you’re glued to a screen right now 🙂
Let’s talk about phone usage! We’re in the hyper-technology era, and smartphones are practically becoming our personal assistants, entertainment source, wallets, and whatnot. It’s so convenient, isn’t it? paying with your phone, capturing favourite moments, and writing random thoughts as notes. But hold on… There’s more to life.
A study by Ofcom found that business owners in the UK spend an average of 4 hours and 12 minutes on their smartphones per day, which is almost an hour more than the average person.
Too much screen time can be a big bummer. It leads to eye strain, poor sleep, stress, anxiety, and even feelings of social isolation.
Break the addiction and discover the benefits of a more balanced relationship with your device.
Track your screen time
Measured and evaluated steps are highly effective. If you’re planning to notch down your screen time, track it on your phone. Many phones have this option already in the system, and if it’s not available then download apps that monitor your screen time so that you know where you stand.
Tracking screen time will at least at some subconscious level let you know that you’ve used too much phone.
Apps like Youtube and Instagram allow us to set daily reminders or a break time. For instance, if we set a break timer to ten minutes, Instagram will remind us after ten minutes to take a break. That’s our cue to stop the app and get back into real life.
Delete Useless apps
Uninstall unnecessary apps that you spend too much time on. We must confess, one of our team members was at level 1002 level of candy crush. We’re sure there’s some completely unnecessary app gobbling up your time too. Delete it. Look outside the window instead, talk to your coworker, read a book, or go out for a walk. You will appreciate life more, it will generate gratitude and ultimately happiness.
Pro tip: Listening to podcasts is a much better way to use your phone.
Focus on present
We may sound like a tacky quote on Facebook, but hear us out.
When we have phones, we are constantly connected with our virtual friends and work. We’re too familiar with the thought: “My boss just texted me, I must leave everything and respond!” that too, while we’re having dinner with family members.
Phone causes lots of distractions that decrease the quality of our work, relationships, and life.
Stay focused on the activity that is more important and in the present. Take a break from your phone and you’ll feel relieved and more aware of what’s going on.
But how to focus? : Apply the Pomodoro Technique
For beginners, set a timer before doing any activity. For instance, if you’re planning to meditate, set a time for 20 minutes, and then you’ll know that these twenty minutes are solely for meditation. The same goes for work and other activities that need focus. Gradually increase the time from 20 to 30 and so on.
Take a five-minute break after a 20-minute work session, or a 15-minute one after 40 minutes.
Fun Fact: After using too much phone, we find real life and our surrounding a bit annoying. Because our brain is hooked on the excessive dopamine we get from social media. you’ll realise that these people matter more than people that are only virtually connected.
How can we leave phones when all our work is there?
Have a separate phone for work
Phones and work go hand in hand, we can’t leave our phones at home. Trust us, we did it once.
However, having a phone solely for work is another thing. It removes all the distractions, and social media and try not to put anything personal on your work phone. This way you will only be using the phone when it is needed for work calls or anything else and you will not waste time on it.
The Takeaway
Phones are not bad, but too much phone is bad. Dedicate a good amount of time without using the phone in your life. Think of your current phone usage as helping in developing a good productive and healthy life or are you just mindlessly scrolling down without having any value added to your time? These questions can help in differentiating whether the phone is making your life better or worse.
We love analysing stuff. Especially if it’s related to business and technology. If you’ve got any concerns regarding business, visit us and we’ll be happy to help. Learn more about us and contact info@initiis.co.uk for any query.
Enjoy your life, not your phone! and Give Yourself the Edge.
