The cigarette was the go-to companion for fidgety hands long before smartphones. Long before Facebook, tobacco was touted as a way to improve your social life. Getting rid of your smartphone has now become the new smoking.
Obviously, technology does not cause tooth discoloration, emphysema, or cancer. However, some people are so concerned that their technology addiction is affecting their mental health that they have spent their days attempting to minimize their reliance.
A smartphone is becoming more and more of a need in these digital times, but is it really? Some apps may be difficult to give up entirely, but would our lives be any more difficult if we didn’t have to rely on just one device to meet all of our digital needs?
If you’ve ever misplaced your smartphone, you may recall the anxiety of being unable to interact with others and the cost of replacing it, but over the course of a few days, this may have been replaced by a little sense of ecstasy as you embark on a digital detox.
But what if you don’t replace your phone? Do the advantages of not having one outweigh the disadvantages? Here are reasons why giving up your smartphone could be beneficial.
1. SAVING TIME
Almost everyone who owns a smartphone spends far too much time with it. After all, the average monthly screentime for 18-24 year old women is near 90 hours, implying that smartphone addiction is a real possibility. What could you accomplish with this time that is slowly passing you by? You could certainly put your extra free time to good use and improve your skills in a variety of areas. For example, imagine being able to watch Netflix without having to rewind every scene.
2. A BETTER NIGHT’S SLEEP
The blue light on your smartphone deceives your brain into thinking it’s daytime rather than nighttime. This is terrible news, as heavy use before night will almost certainly make falling asleep more difficult, especially if you’ve been swiping the screen for more than a few minutes. Less smartphone use, especially a few hours before bedtime, will almost surely improve your sleep.
3. FEWER INTERFERENCES
Isn’t it annoying to have too many notifications? When your phone vibrates while you’re at work and concentrating on a critical task, you take it out to check it, then decide that you should really spend a minute on Whatsapp to confirm what’s for dinner tonight. Otherwise, it could lead to a fight later.
What does it cost to carry out that action? You’d be surprised at how much there is. You’ve disturbed your flow by switching things like this, and it could take 20-30 minutes to concentrate your thoughts on the task at hand. Is it really necessary to be interrupted in order to be notified that someone liked your Facebook post?
4. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WORK FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
When work emails arrive on your phone, it’s difficult not to glance outside the office every now and then, especially if you’ve turned on notifications. It’s 10 p.m., you’re in bed, and a quick check of email reveals that something URGENT has arrived from another timezone.
You’ll be more productive the next day if you quit work and divert your attention away from it for the evening. It appears that the French have the proper concept in this regard.
5. YOU’LL SPEAK TO MORE PEOPLE
Whatsapp is currently the most useful social communication tool. You can instantly message hundreds of individuals if you’re in various groups. However, as you can argue topics in writing form, the requirement for conversation decreases. The irony is that if you give up your smartphone, you’ll be compelled to interact with others more.
6. LOWER ENVY AND RISK OF DEPRESSION
Isn’t Instagram full of beautiful things? Lovely holiday photos, you look stunning, and oh, so-and-so, whom I haven’t seen in ten years, is married and they are the picture of perfection.
Envy and the unnecessary desire to likewise appear perfect are prevalent problems as a result of the serialization of people’s lives into highlight reels, and it’s unhealthy for our mental health. There are clear ties between depression and heavy social media and smartphone usage. Turn off your phone and relax.