Are you cutting back on the debilitating smartphone habit?
Why are we checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, then Facebook again when we just wanted to check the weather? Turns out, smartphone addiction is by design. Think of the constant stream of notifications, colour schemes in apps and all the “likes”, followers and in-game trophies. Our phones and apps are designed to give us short-term, feel-good rewards, so we’ll use them longer — at the expense of reading, enjoying the moment or simply being bored.
Some companies are relenting in response to concerns from customers and experts. Google’s next operating system, for instance, will come with a “wind down” mode; the screen will automatically fade to grey at a designated time before bed. Another feature will automatically put your phone in “do not disturb” mode if you flip it face down on a table.
But most Android phones won’t get this system, Android P, until late this year or even next year, if at all. And it’s unclear if Apple plans similar features for the iPhone.
So, for now, here’s how you can outsmart the smartphone yourself:
Limit notifications
Notice those red dots on iPhones and Samsung phones showing how many unread messages, news items or app updates you have left to read? Of course, you have.
“Red is a trigger colour that instantly draws our attention,” notes The Center for Humane Technology, an organisation that promotes a healthier, less dependent relationship to technology.
Other Android phones running the most recent version, Oreo, have smaller dots. There are no numbers, and colours are more subtle, but the concept is the same: to lure you into opening the app.
To foil that on iPhones and most recent Android phones, go to your phone’s settings and turn off the dots, known as badges, for all but the handful of apps you care most about. These might be messaging apps you use with friends, or news services you want breaking-news alerts from. But do you really need a red dot for the 2,346 unread emails you have?
You can also turn off push notifications, app by app.
With Facebook, you’ll need to go to the app’s own settings to turn off the dozens of notification categories, such as “updates on your friends since you last logged in.” Turning a category off will turn off dots for that category, too.
Detox regularly
It can be as simple as going to the bathroom without your phone or turning it off during meal times or even every Saturday. Leaving your phone behind helps your brain reset.
If you need a prompt on just why you should “detox,” try Moment, an app that automatically tracks how much you use your iPhone or iPad each day. It’s not perfect, as the timer runs anytime your screen is unlocked, even if you’ve stepped away. Still, the results will probably surprise you. For Android, there’s an app called QualityTime.
Set a schedule
Nir Eyal, author of Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products, compares humans to lab mice in an experiment of random rewards. Mice, it turns out, respond “most voraciously to random rewards,” Eyal wrote in 2012.
Social media apps have perfected the art of random rewards. You don’t know when you’ll get a friend request, or a like, or even when you’ll see a new post from a friend. Cue endless check-ins and scrolling.
Set aside a specific time each day to check Facebook — or email, or instant messages. Then resist the urge until the next scheduled time. —
Our phones and apps are designed to give us short-term, feel-good rewards, so we’ll use them longer