Created by Mike & Mollie. Subscribe to our blog.
A few months ago after welcoming our fourth baby into our family, I felt that there was an unhealthy habit that I needed to break. The time spent on my phone had increased since much of my day was now spent rocking or feeding the baby. Scrolling my phone had become the go-to activity of choice.
With my phone always within reach, it became too easy to satisfy the quick hit of dopamine that my brain was getting.
I felt guilty about the time I was spending, since much of it wasn’t even considered productive. I felt a growing conviction that I wanted to take a big step away from my phone in order to create a healthier relationship with it.
I know that there are countless benefits to the technological advances we’ve seen in the past decade, but just about half of all Americans say they’re addicted to their phones and many others admit to spending too much time on them.
In a recent survey of 1,000 American adults ages 18 and older, 74 percent said they felt uneasy leaving their phones at home.
45 percent claim that their phone is their most valuable possession.
71 percent scroll their phones within the first ten minutes of waking up.
61 percent admit to having texted someone in the same room as them before.
And on average, Americans check their phones 344 times a day, which calculates to once every four minutes.
It sounds like many of us, myself included, seem to have a dependency to our devices. But is this truly adding value to our lives, or just a form of entertainment that steals time that could be spent doing things that actually add meaning?
As a result, this past month I challenged myself to reset my habits with my phone and make changes that would teach me how to better manage my time and lessen my need for instant access. I desired to spend less time on my phone and more time reading, writing, being present with those around me, and focusing on what matters most.
In this post, I’ll share some of the ways that have helped me to break an old habit and create a new, healthier one going forward. If you’re someone who feels pulled to use your phone less yet can’t find the ways to make meaningful habits stick, I’d encourage you to take on a few of these ideas yourself.
Less Phone, More Focused Pursuits
Similar to our no-spend month, the goal of creating these new habits for my phone usage were meant to be realistic and sustainable, working for me, not against me. The past month of intentionally using my phone less gave me an opportunity to make meaningful changes.
Below are the steps that I’ve found to help me with the goal of using my phone less in order to be more present elsewhere.
Use Social Media Less Frequently. Instagram has become one of the biggest ways to steal my attention. Setting a daily time limit has been a key way for me to use it less frequently. When I’ve reached the allotted time, that’s my queue to shut down the app until tomorrow. Whatever I didn’t get to post or view can wait.
Check Email At Designated Times. When it comes to checking email, a recent study found that it’s either feast or famine– checking throughout the day or just a time or two. This is true because of the accessibility our phones provide. I’ve limited myself to checking it twice a day and have found that I’m still capable of responding in a timely manner to everything that comes in.
Track App Usage. Tracking your app and screen time usage is a great starting point to determine what changes can be made. You can view the total screen time, amount of times you picked up your phone, the apps that received the most attention that day, and set limits for apps that you want to use less.
At the end of the week, I receive a notification of how much time was spent using my phone each day and whether it was more or less than the previous week.
Find a Home Base. Intentionally setting the phone out of my reach in a designated home (especially while I’m engaging with others) allows for a natural separation. The temptation to do a “quick check” of apps is strong, so this removes the impulse to do so. Plus, I spend less time searching for my phone when it’s back in its home.
Turn Off Notifications. When we’re constantly bombarded by notifications, our brains get a hit of dopamine, lighting up our pleasure center, which makes it nearly impossible not to engage with the alert. Turning off notifications, particularly to social media and email, removes this urge to be on call 24/7.
Begin a New Behavior. One way to break a bad habit is to replace it with a healthier choice. There are certain times of the day when I’m more prone to picking up my phone and scrolling for pleasure. Instead, I’ve started placing my phone in another room and reading a book instead. Our brains are hard-wired for pleasure, so try replacing your phone usage habits with something else that you enjoy.
Turn On Do Not Disturb. When our brains are activated with a device prior to falling asleep, it suppresses the production of melatonin, a natural hormone released in the evening to help you feel tired and ready to sleep. I’ve found that setting the “do not disturb” function an hour before bedtime has removed my temptation to respond to new messages or calls while my body is trying to wind down. To set this, go to setting, focus, then turn on do not disturb.
Old habits can be hard to break. If you’ve found yourself distracted and unable to be fully present, I’d encourage you to see how you can spend less time being dependent on your phone and more time enjoying life around you!
🌿 Introducing, Declutter Your Life, a premium newsletter with monthly challenges to help you live a less cluttered life– inside and out.
