Overcoming phone addiction, tips to set you free

Come to think of it, what do you do when you are bored at a friend’s party, outdoor event, or a gathering? Like a pain killer, my guess is that you turn to your phone for instant relief from mounting distress. We live in a world where a room occupied with friends could go blank and disengaging because everybody is busy engaging themselves with their mobile phones; scrolling to find the next tweet, zooming in on a particular outfit, and laughing out loud the next content we find on the many social apps we have. Having access to whatever information we want in just a click, “Instant gratification” thinking we can find solace in phones without realizing ‘in-person’ conversation is the truest synergy for humanity. Knowing the globe rest in our palms, we don’t pay enough attention to ourselves and have substituted reality with virtual engagement. As phones become more sophisticated but easier to use, the more suffocated we feel as a result of how we use them. We have succeeded in replacing human bonds and interaction with 24/7 internet connectivity. The average person, according to Rescue Time research spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone. Common to most of us, our phones are the last things we bid goodnight to, even after we turn off our lamps. With these insights, you can rate how they engage themselves with phones. Here are some tips to get you informed: The old morning practice Before your feet hit the floor, it is advisable to cultivate the habit of performing any morning ritual – meditation, imagination, prayer, visualization, then journaling about some priorities and how your day will and or should look like. This will activate your mind with your dreams and purpose before you face the hassles of the day. The ancient tool of writing shouldn’t be a thing of the past. Inculcate the habit of using sticker notes on walls, fridges, and vantage areas in your room that will serve as a reminder of what to think and how to think about them. This helps you stay focused on your aspirations instead of turning to the BBC for current issues or ruining your morning by engaging in a Facebook post or WhatsApp status. There is no fulfillment in chasing fleeting joys. Better still, a timely reminder of your ambitions on your phone will help in being in control of your phone than the direct opposite. Control your destruction What we dream to become cannot be found on our smartphones. Well, I know smartphones also don’t dream but our aspirations and ambitions cannot be found on the device. Zheng and Lee 2016 suggest mobile phone manufacturers offer new features and functionalities that compel users to use them. The fact is these inventions are manipulations to destruct the pursuit of users due to their influence. It goes a long way to influence our determinism in life taking away the dreams of millennials who aspire to be the next Zuckerberg or Dangote. In breaking down the average 3 hours and 15 minutes phone users use, the top 20% of smartphone users have a daily screen time in excess of 4.5 hours. These allotted times fall within the working hours of (9am- 5pm). Get this, some apps on the phone should be frozen at certain pecks of the day to get you focused on other priorities. How can you excel with divided attention? Also, when you sleep with your phone, you get engaged and by default, your thoughts get encapsulated with your feeds which subtly, influences your decisions. A good habit to go by is to leave phones and other social interactions out of the bedroom. This enables you to recall and give a proper account of how your day unfolded while increasing your listening prowess and social intelligence. Tack boredom, seek help With no restrictions, our mobile phones can access any information we want with 24/7 internet connectivity. However, you are advised to be picky with what you consume when finding an escape from your boredom. Entrusting your feelings with the painted and tainted images of how people live “social media lives” is undeserving and problematic. A deserving way to spend your day would be a heart-to-heart talk with your partner, spouse, and a few good friends who are ready to listen and help you heal some of your emotional wounds. As humans begin to build their cognition, explore new phenomena, and experiment with ideas that will make the world our home with lots of opportunities at our disposal, the notion is said to be subverted, breeding isolation in society. Mobile phones should be assistive devices; helping us achieve the very best we can for ourselves and our business, I am sure you have come across “mind your own business” before, rethink it. Contrary to popular opinion, there is a limit to phones’ capabilities. As we base on the digital era to act accordingly, there is a need for us to maintain our human bond for balanced and healthy living in all endeavors. Own your phone, don’t let it own you.