When we limit our cell phone use, we are less nervous. We sleep more. We have greater mental powers. A study released this year showed that curbing phone use even makes people happier. Photo credit:
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An email from Peter recently landed in my inbox. In his note, Peter, a recent college graduate, vented about his cell phone being “an unhealthy distraction,” that the device ruined his ability to reason.
Peter’s concern is a common one. Next-generation cell phones have commandeered our attention spans with their constant demands, and according to a study released last year, most people check their phones every 12 minutes or so. Ten percent of people check their phones every four minutes.
The incessant distractions can have a negative impact on our lives, and studies show that too much cell phone use harms everything from learning to relationships.
To help Peter and anyone else with similar issues, I suggest three simple ways to get a handle on your cell phone and its negative effects.
Limit Phone Use
When we limit our cell phone use, we are less nervous. We sleep more. We have greater mental powers. A study released this year showed that curbing phone use even makes people happier.
As part of the study, the researchers created a custom-made app in order to “batch” the notifications sent to smartphone users. Some received them hourly, others just three times a day and another group not at all.
Interestingly, the least anxious of the study’s participants were those receiving just three batches of notifications a day. They “felt happier, more productive” than the other participants, writes the study’s authors. They “also unlocked their phones fewer times a day, suggesting that batching can have a measurable effect on learned behavior.”
While the researcher’s “batching” app has not been released, there are a number of ways to limit phone use, according to the Center for Humane Technology, a nonprofit founded by tech professionals advocating for tech minimalism.
On its “Take Control” page, the group recommends various apps that limit use. They suggest everything from grayscaling app icons (so that their colors don’t pop) to putting the apps for only basic tools—like maps—on your home screen’s first page.
My favorite approach is the simplest: Make your phone’s default mode “do not disturb,” allowing only those people you choose to break through, if necessary.
Put Your Phone Far Away
My husband and I often travel together, and much to my impatient chagrin, he insists on checking even a small backpack. Why? Well, part of the reason is to take a breather from his phone, and even for a one hour flight, he throws it in with the full-size toiletries, as a way of taking a break.
My husband’s approach is a healthy one. Indeed, just having a phone within reach can corrode our cognitive strength, according to 2017 study. As part of the research, the authors observed three groups of people, each given cognitive tasks to perform in a lab setting. The first group was asked to put their phones on a nearby desk during the experiment. The second had to put them in a pocket or bag, and the third deposited their phones in another room.
The study found that the closer the phones, the lower participants scored on their cognitive tasks—even though the phones were silenced. Just having the phones present was distraction enough. The study’s authors call this phenomenon simply “brain drain.”
The point is that when you put down your phone for a mental break, make sure it’s a real breather and the phone is tucked far away. Again, there are simple ways to take action, and I try and keep my phone far away from my bedroom so that I can rest without additional cell phone worry.
Do Something Else
It’s not enough just to put your cell phone away. You should engage in other activities to keep from being lured by the latest Tweet.
I like keeping a yellow notepad in my bag. I use it to jot down reminder lists or random reflections, or to just doodle. This may sound like a waste of time, but recent research shows that mind-wandering can be beneficial.
For example, a study titled “The Costs and Benefits of Mind-Wandering: A Review” cites several benefits of daydreaming. Among them, it can help people: plan for the future; think creatively; and even relieve boredom.
Another option is getting physical. I have a cousin whose husband is an avid triathlete, and he’ll use every spare moment as a time for stretching—by finding bars or seats, whatever works. I myself run, and have found it’s great for clearing the head and thinking creatively.
While these are all simple suggestions, the challenge is to make them habitual. In today’s world, tech—and phones, in particular—are necessary. And so people rarely consider how harmful the devices might be.
I won’t argue that people can give up technology altogether. But Peter, the young man who sent me that email, was right to be concerned about the dark side of cell phones. And in doing so, he took the first step toward becoming healthy.
