(Photo credit: Time Magazine http://time.com/4051294/fashion-models-runway-selfies/)
Welcome to the digital age, the era where technology has taken over our world! Whether you’re a Baby Boomer or Generation Z, odds are you probably own a smart phone. Often people stereotype young people (Millennials and Generation Z) as “always being on their phone” when the truth is, EVERYONE these days is glued to their phone. I mean, elderly people aren’t reading newspapers on the train ride to work, they’re looking at their phones.
But, I get it; I’m as guilty as the next person. It’s hard to stay off it at times and as someone who suffers from anxiety, I tend to rely on my phone even more than the average person. Ironically, although phones feel like they’re connecting us with the rest of world, they’re actually disconnecting us from reality and what’s going on in the moment. For many, we’re going out with friends and having half-hearted conversations as we all glance down at our screens. We’re obsessed with scrolling through someone’s Instagram feed, trying to get a glimpse of their personal lives and comparing it to ours. Not only are genuine social interactions hard to come by now, but the influence from friends and bloggers and the peer pressure from brands has taken over our thoughts and is affecting the way we act and present ourselves. In the end, being on your phone might actually be doing more harm than good.
When you really think about it, many people are so focused on sharing what goes on in their lives on social media that they forget reality. Life is about catching up with friends and family, being in each others’ company without any distractions. It’s about moments like going to a concert and seeing your favourite artists or going on a shopping trip with a bunch of your friends. While it’s great to want to take photos and videos, you still want to put your phone down and live in the moment.
With that said, I highly urge you to consider going on a digital detox; like a diet, but for your cell phone usage. Today, in order to help you get started on ditching the phone I’ve created 3 helpful tips to start your very own digital detox.
Make Plans.
Staying off your phone can be tricky especially when you're bored or feeling lonely. The key to ditching the phone is to keep yourself so busy that you don’t even think about picking it up. Hang out with friends or enrol in that new dance class that you've been eyeing; living in the moment and keeping your self busy will have you spend less time on your phone and more time enjoying life!
Reduce Your Usage Time.
This could mean setting yourself a strict limit and not allowing yourself to check your phone while at work. Making it so that you can only use your phone during your lunch hour, or after your shift is a great place to start. You can also try having your phone off-limits one hour before your bedtime and replacing it with reading time instead.
Put Your Phone On Silent Mode.
If you’re going out for dinner with your friends or just hanging out watching Netflix at home, make the effort to put your phone on silent mode. Live in the moment and focus on having fun on with your friends or just by yourself - without any distractions. You’ll know you have good company when you don’t even think about looking down at your phone.