Do You Need A Digital Detox?
In this post I want to help you check if you are held captive by your phone, and see if it is time for a Digital Detox!
In this day & age, being connected and immersed digitally has been a major part of almost every person’s life. Based on Statistics, there are over 6.4 Billion Smartphone Users in the world and these Users spend an average of 2 hours & 55 minutes on their Smartphones every single day. That’s a total of a thousand plus hours in a year.
69% of these people have been using their Smartphones for Product Research and 69.4% of them have been using it for Shopping. Now, 6/10 Shoppers prefer the option of Mobile Shopping rather than going out of their house & going to an actual store.
See, the advancement of technology has provided everyone the ability to access almost everything at any given time. Hours & hours are spent each day listening, watching, reading, interacting and now, even shopping in the digital world. More so, some individuals have developed an addiction to this.
Smartphones, as a source of stress?
Undoubtedly smartphones are a useful tool to stay connected and be productive. But like most good things, we can get too much of it. And there are some people who can’t imagine their lives without their Smartphone. A lot of research & surveys have found and proven that the overuse of Smartphones can actually cause the greatest stress. For many, it is the ever-present digital connection and constant need to keep checking emails, texts, and social media that accounted for the majority of this tech stress.
How would you know when you’re already addicted?
The signs & symptoms are actually quite clear. Here’s a list of a few things to look out for:
There is a strong need to use the Smartphone more & more.
There are persistent failed attempts in using the Smartphone less.
There is a tendency to be preoccupied with the use of Smartphone.
Whenever there are unwanted feelings such as anxiety & depression, there is a strong desire to turn to the Smartphone.
There is an excessive use which later on results to losing a sense of time.
A relationship or a job has been put at risk due to the use of Smartphone.
There is always that strong urge to get the latest Smartphone or download more applications.
There is a tendency to get angry, irritable or restless when a network cannot be reached.
These are just some of the signs one is addicted. Yet, there’s a lot more to cover.
Let’s check your statistics.
Many of us are not aware of how much we are actually using our phones. But let’s get some data on your usage before we continue any further. If you have an Iphone, Follow the guide below to check your statistics.
These statistics are a relatively new feature on phones and can help you gain insight into how much time of the day we are paying attention to it, and how often we pick the phone up. More so these numbers are an indication for how big portion of your day you spend on the phone, and pick up times indicate how many individual times you satisfy your urge to check your phone.
Reflection Time, What Can You Use This Information For?
Now, take time to reflect. How do you feel about the results? Were you proud? Happy? Bothered? Alarmed? How do you feel now knowing how many times you pick up your phone every waking day?
Like a lot of things, this one is subjective. There is no one-size-fits-all. Your Screen Time, Activity, Pickup & Notifcations will always depend on many things such as your profession, your distance from your family & loved ones and a lot more. It’s not always a matter of self-discipline, focus & priorities.
However, IF and only if you are uncomfortable and alarmed by your usage, do stay tuned for next week’s blog about how you can start turning this around, decreasing your Pickup or Screen Time to win back more time in your life.
