Is your phone within arms reach of you right now, and at any given moment of your day or night? ____ Yes ____ No
Is your phone always on and is it the first thing you check when you wake up and before you go to sleep? ____ Yes ____ No
Do you check your phone frequently, even when you’re out with friends, business clients or dates? ____ Yes ____ No
If you answered “yes” to any of the above, you’re in good company. Unfortunately, you may also be suffering from Nomophobia, the fear of being without a mobile phone. This term was coined in a study that found that 53% of mobile phone users in Britain experience anxiety when they don’t have their phones, run out of battery juice, or experience a disruption or lack of reception. Our increasingly technological world is overloaded with instant messages, emails, and entertaining twitter updates. These stimuli can be addicting because they provide small doses of positive nourishment to our brains. Of course, as humans, we enjoy doing things that are rewarding, so it is no surprise that we check our phones as often as we desire, and we desire often!
Research findings indicate the obsession with our phones may be correlated with lower productivity and job satisfaction. A study at the University of Kent asked participants to read a passage of text, and found that with each cell phone interruption, there was a 17% increase in the total time it took to finish reading the passage. Another study at the University of Washington found that turning off phones at 9:00pm resulted in more productive employees, due to better sleep.
If your experiences align with the findings of these studies, like mine do, it’s time to take this challenge and work to change destructive habits! Follow these tips to manage your smart phone addiction to become a better, more productive you!
Recognize and Accept
Your smart phone dependence can be an addiction like any other. The first step to fight any addiction is to admit to the problem and understand that it needs to be resolved. Reflect on why this is a problem and what your smart phone compulsions are taking away from you, whether it be face to face time with colleagues or loved ones, your ability to be emotionally present in the moment, or just overall productivity at work.
Self-control
Once you’ve recognized your problem and reflected on it, using good old self-control and will power, practice fighting your urge to look at your phone unnecessarily for the 30th time in the hour. Instead, force yourself to continue what you were doing by being mindful of your immediate environment. For example, if you are with someone, ask that person a question in order to turn your behavior away from you phone and focus on the individual in front of you. As with any addiction, you may experience withdrawal symptoms or anxiety, but this will pass, and eventually it’ll be much easier to control your compulsions.
Turn it off
Set times to turn off your smart phone at certain hours of the day or even a few times a week. Although it may be difficult at first, you will find that it will boost your productivity, and you may even enjoy those times you allow yourself freedom from the chains of your phone. Go for a walk, read a book, or find a new hobby. Look for other ways to feel rewarded so that you don’t revert back to scrolling through your emails and sending texts in your spare time.
Set guidelines
Sometimes it helps to give yourself a set of mandatory self enforced rules for when electronic devices should be off. One example that should be on this list is when you’re driving. Returning that text or taking that phone call is risking lives and it is not worth it. Another time could be during dinner. Too often we see people staring into their own phones while sitting across from each other in restaurants. If one person puts their phone away, most likely the other will reciprocate. Be the catalyst!
Don’t do it alone!
Share what you plan to do and why with your friends, significant other, and colleagues. Ask for their help or see if they wish to join you in this potentially life changing endeavor. (As a tip, you should probably talk to them about it in person, and not over text.) To avoid offending others, let them know when you will become technologically inaccessible.
Technology shouldn’t be seen as the enemy, but even good things require moderation. Hopefully by removing electronic time out of your day, it’ll leave you more room to enjoy life in the real world.
To learn more, visit www.draldencass.com or call Dr. Cass directly at 646-202-9611.
DASHA® wellness & spa is a luxury lifestyle brand and New York City-based wellness center created to offer a truly holistic approach to wellness. To learn more, visit dashawellness.com.
