Technology Addiction and How to Break It

Summary: Many of us know we are addicted to technology but may not know where to start to break the addiction.

Are you like the majority of people that check their smartphone 110 times a day? Let’s face it, we all would be lost without our phones. Even though we didn’t grow up with them, we are now connected to them like they are a vital organ. Here are six tips to help combat our addictions to technology.

1. Never use a phone as an alarm clock

When we grow ever-increasingly comfortable with our phones, we are more likely to push the snooze button over and over again. Once we finally garner the will power to get up, we immediately start browsing the internet, Facebook, and emails. In the first 20 minutes of the day, you have overloaded yourself with technology. Start the day without immediately turning to your phone to give yourself a break from the long day.

2. Don’t check your emails before getting to work

When you start checking your emails before work, your mind is already turned to work before its need to be. There are a few exceptions to this tip depending on what your profession is but for most of us, emails can wait until we get to the office.

3. Remove excess apps

As someone once said, “Facebook is like the fridge – you check it every 15 minutes, even though you know nothing’s there.” While Facebook is fun, how often do we check it and find nothing new or interesting? Not only could we be more productive each day if we weren’t checking our phones constantly, we would be able to interact with others in person more effectively. Get rid of those apps that don’t help you be a positive, productive person.

4. Keep your phone out of the bedroom

The last thing you should be doing each morning is checking your phone, the same goes for each night. Leave your phone charging in the living room or someplace else outside the bedroom. Research has shown that watching TV or viewing technology an hour before bed affects your quality of sleep.

5. Customize or turn off notifications

There are a lot of notifications you can live without. Customize it so you only receive the most important ones otherwise you will be checking your phone with every beep or buzz. The same goes for receiving calls or texts. Customize the vibrations so that you know when the message is from someone important.

6. Don’t be afraid to use airplane mode

Airplane mode lets you focus on a specific task without interruptions or avoid distractions for a period of time. Start out switching to this mode when driving, in social situations, at the movies, or other activities. You have to start decreasing your addiction a little bit at a time.

Photo: telegraph.co.uk