3 Incredible Hacks to Overcome Cell Phone Addiction

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How often do you pick your cell phone to check for push notifications or social feeds? Well, unknown to many, the excessive use of cell phones is one of the most pronounced addictions.

First off, not all forms of phone use are detrimental. However, when you lose control of your phone use, to the extent that it causes psychological dependency, it amounts to cell phone addiction.

Luckily, addictive phone use is a simple lifestyle habit you can easily overcome. Read on for three simple hacks to overcome toxic phone use.

1. Have a Specific Schedule

The first step for weaning yourself off the phone is to set up a specific schedule for checking on it. You may set alarms at regular intervals, starting from 15 minutes, then gradually increasing to half an hour, a full hour, or more.

When the alarm goes off, take some time to check on all major notifications before you reset the timer. This will help you have regular but controlled intervals of checking on your phone.

2. Limit Potential Triggers

An article by Harvard University reveals that when you get excited by a successful social interaction, your brain releases a chemical (Dopamine) that motivates you to repeat the same act.

Therefore, it pays off to get rid of all notorious distractions that may trigger addictive phone use. These include phone apps and frequent push notifications from different sites. The good news is you can avoid unnecessary interruptions from such frequent podcasts.

Turn off as many push notifications and apps as you possibly can. Go to your phone settings and allow only the most important preferences, such as emails and utility apps. You may also delete unnecessary apps altogether.

3. Turn on the Dark Mode

In a research by Digital Awareness and Headmasters’ Conference, 45% of students sampled admitted that they checked their mobile phones while in bed. Additionally, 38% of the students said they would be curious to check their phones every night before bedtime. This shows how much time people spend on their mobile devices.

One of the best ways to limit the time you spend on your cell phone is to turn on the 'dark mode' or 'gray scale' on your screen. This is a special setting that makes your smart screen appear darker, hence less desirable to view. Most smartphones have an inbuilt provision for grayscale under the settings menu.

Bottomline

Toxic addiction to cell phone use is real. Unfortunately, a majority of those affected may not be aware or simply ignore it as a norm. The downside is that smartphone addiction is harmful, as it affects your mental health and the ability to maintain your focus. If you are struggling with phone addiction, consider adopting the above hacks for healthy phone use.