Our dependence on smartphone happened quickly.
Smartphone technology was invented in the early 90s and the first iPhone came out in 2007, the first Android in 2008. By 2010, 35% of Americans owned a smartphone, According to Pew Research. Over the next 11 years, that percentage will increase to 85%.
However, saying that using your smartphone is an “addiction” still sounds a bit dramatic. Especially since you probably use your iPhone or Android as much as your friends and family.
Price Catherine, author of “How to break up with your phone,” writes in his book that the prevalence of these behaviors is precisely why they need to be examined.
Price writes: “The fact that these behaviors and emotions are common doesn’t mean they’re harmless. “Rather, it’s a sign that the problem may be bigger than we thought.”
If you want to find out if your phone use can be classified as addiction, you can take a quick survey that Price included in her book, which will tell you: Forced test using smartphone.
What is the smartphone use compulsion test?
The smartphone use compulsion test was developed by David Greenfield, founder of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
It consists of 15 yes or no questions, such as “Do you feel reluctant to be without a cell phone or smartphone, even for a short time?” and “When you dine, is your cell phone or smartphone always part of the table setting?”
The more affirmative answers you give, the more likely your behavior is compulsive. If you answer “yes” to more than five questions, Greenfield will classify your smartphone use as “problematic”.
Price notes that you can worry about your own results: “The only way to score below 5 on this test is to not have a smartphone,” she wrote.
Why using an iPhone is a problem
Let’s say you get more than 5 points – is it that bad? According to science, yes.
The average American now spends almost four and a half hours a day on their smartphones, According to recent data from Reviews.org.
This has drastically changed the way we relate to each other and to ourselves. The presence of a smartphone can really reduce the quality of our live chats with others. And widespread use of social media can lead to an increase in feeling isolated.
If you want to “break up with your phone,” Price outlines a four-week plan that can help you cut back:
- Week 1, technology classification: This week, you’ll download and start using tracking apps that will tell you exactly how much time you’re spending on your phone. You will also remove some of the more addictive functions, such as social networks, and create physical barriers to prevent you from reaching your phone frequently.
- Week 2, change your habits: After assessing the problem, you can begin to change your behavior. Change where you charge your phone, set up an app blocker. These things can help you reduce device time when using iPhone regularly and still feel very natural.
- Week 3, get your brain back: Price suggests a series of exercises that can help you feel less anxious without your phone. Start meditation. Swap the time you might have spent using your phone with other activities, such as listening to music (even if it’s playing on your phone, you don’t have to actively look at the screen).
- Week 4, your new relationship and more: Finally, decide how you want to use your phone. Maybe you want to listen to podcasts but don’t want to scroll on Tik Tok. Delete the app and register with How accordingly, you are checking your phone.
This cleaning will hopefully help you set healthy boundaries with your smartphone and improve the quality of your personal relationships.
DON’T MISS: Want to be smarter and more successful with your money, work and life? Sign up for our new newsletter!
Get free from CNBC Warren Buffett’s Investment GuideDistills billionaire’s #1 best advice for common investors, do’s and don’ts, and three key investing principles into one clear and simple guide.
