Smartphones have long since changed human innovation. They are now part of our society and have also changed our everyday lives – from early in the morning until late at night, many of us are constantly on the move with our phones.
But if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by constantly having to be on your phone to check for new messages or updates, you might be wondering how you can get a little distance. Here are some tips that might help you use your phone less – and enjoy life a little more.
The phone charger next to the bed is a serious problem – many of us default to putting our charging cables next to the nightstand for convenience. After all, your phone is super useful for alarms and morning messages.
Still, too many experts have now come together to recommend that you charge your phone in a different room to ignore. This will instantly distance you from your phone as you prepare for bed and encourage you to engage in more relaxing activities, whether that’s reading a book or something else. It’s a change that’s easy to make but can bring noticeable results.
Another familiar problem with modern smartphones is that every company in the world has found the best way to sneak into people’s daily lives – notifications. Every app now demands permission to notify you when it has an offer, reminder or update it wants to report on, and this can all too quickly become a stressful cacophony.
It may take some time, but removing permissions from your notification settings for everything except the essentials like messages and phone calls can be life-changing. Suddenly, you’ll find that your phone doesn’t have nearly as much power over you when you’re not holding it. Of course, you’ll still have to break the habit of checking it compulsively.
A few iOS updates ago, Apple introduced a new system called “Focus Modes” that basically let you set different Do Not Disturb states for your phone. However, it was a bit complicated at launch and the advertising was chaotic.
However, after some improvements, you can now easily set up modes that silence notifications or only let certain types through. Switching between these modes can be a great way to be more conscious of your phone usage. A “work mode,” for example, can prevent social media from getting through to you, while “sleep” is another must-have for relaxing.
Both Android and iPhone users have had access to screen time limits for ages. These settings allow you to set reminders and restrictions on certain apps to encourage you to use them less. They’re also considered easy to bypass, but that doesn’t mean they won’t work for everyone.
If you’ve already tried them and found that you just had to enter a PIN code to get through anyway, don’t bother. However, if you haven’t experimented yet, these apps could be ideal to help you hide the odd app you’d be happier without.
When it all just gets too much, it can help to take action outside of a phone’s built-in software limitations. This might mean actually deleting an app rather than just restricting it or removing it from your home screen, or you can go even further.
It’s a good idea to get into the habit of turning your phone off for long periods of time. For example, if you would put it on silent, turn it off. This will prevent it from lurking in the back of your mind, alerting you to new emails or unread notifications.
Some people also recommend tying a hair tie or rubber band around your phone. Having this physical barrier that you have to remove or at least move when you want to use your smartphone can help you become aware of trying to pick it up less. Experiment and find what works for you.
