Increase productivity, focus at work by cutting down on smartphone use
tudies show that we use our smartphones excessively — an average of 80 to 150 times a day. There’s an ongoing debate about whether this is a bad habit or not. Ninety-one percent of millennials report having a healthy relationship with their devices, according to a survey conducted by Qualtrics and Accel. The 6,000 millennials surveyed said that their devices have created better work-life balance, contributing to better communication and relationship-building.
But research shows that as we grow more dependent on technology, our intellect, attention levels and social skills weaken. Dependency on mobile devices can affect interpersonal skills, inhibiting the ability to converse in person, a vital skill in most businesses.
The mere presence of our smartphones can hinder our ability to focus on a task and solve problems. A survey from staffing firm OfficeTeam found the average office employee spends 56 minutes per day using a cellphone at work for non-work activity, Fortune reports. That works out to just under five hours per week of messing about on cellphones.
Your smartphone addiction likely isn’t completely your fault; the designers of these devices are rewarded for using techniques to keep you glued to your screen for as long as possible.
Luckily, there is hope. If you’re trying to improve your relationship with your device, here are some ways that you can take back control of your time and attention.
Track your usage
Ironically, you can try to stave off addicting smartphone apps with an app. Yes, it seems counterintuitive.
Apps like SPACE and Moment help you find your personal phone-life balance by monitoring your smartphone use and setting limits.
Stop scrolling
Many of the most popular mobile apps (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and more) are designed with infinite scrolling functions, where you can consume
an endless feed of information.
Infinite scrolling can make it easy to lose track of time. Nothing holds our attention better than the unknown. A bottomless stream of social media posts motivates you to continue the search for the element of surprise, seeking things that captivate, engross and entertain. Our brains can’t get enough of trying to predict what’s next and, like a loose slot machine, the infinite scroll gives you fast access to what psychologists call variable rewards.
Although social media apps can be difficult to live without, try deleting the apps that have infinite scroll and see how much time you earn back.
Calm your mind
There is a euphoric sensation when you get a social media notification, such as when someone likes a photo you’ve posted to Instagram or Facebook. These moments trigger a dopamine release in the brain, a chemical that creates feelings of pleasure. It’s an essential part of our brain’s rewards system, which is why it also gets blamed for addiction.
Try meditation, yoga, exercise and other mindfulness activities; they have been shown to create a natural release of dopamine, reducing the cravings you have for the rushes your smartphone provides.
Use the physical versions of apps
Yes, having everything in your pocket is convenient. Your smartphone has almost completely eliminated the need for calculators, calendars, cameras, notebooks, alarm clocks and so many other things.
You unlock your phone to check the weather or make a note, and the next thing you know you’ve been in your Instagram feed for 20 minutes. To avoid this problem, try replacing digital tools with physical ones.
For example, using a real alarm clock (and keeping your phone out of reach while sleeping) can help prevent you from wasting time before bed or when you wake up. Carry an actual notebook and pen to take notes. Read paperback books and shun the digital versions.
The key is to avoid unlocking your phone as much as possible to prevent getting sucked into the digital vortex.
Get by with a little help from your friends
As is the case with any addiction, the first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Telling those around you that you want to reduce your smartphone usage can create a necessary feedback system.
Ask them to hold you accountable. You might not notice when you’re scrolling during a family gathering, but others do. Your friends and family can call you out to bring you back to the present moment.
Turn off all notifications unrelated to communication from real people
Our devices were meant to increase our connectivity to other people, so keep it that way. Turn off any notifications from apps unless they’re alerting you that a co-worker, friend or family member needs your attention.
You might even consider deleting social media apps from your phone altogether and only accessing them via a computer. The constant friend and family updates can wait until later, I promise.
Turn your phone to grayscale
Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Human Technology, is a big proponent of this technique.
Research shows that colors are attached to emotions and priorities, especially that little red notification bubble that controls us. Turning your phone to black and white can reduce the urge you have to view new notifications that pull you into the infinite scrolling vortex.
Yazin Akkawi is the founder and principal of MSTQ, an experience design consultancy in Chicago.