Adapt Your Phone Settings
Cell phone designers are well aware of this addiction and have found ways to help reduce the time we spend on our phones. Nowadays, it’s possible to turn off notifications of apps like games and social media.
Turning the airplane mode on can be an excellent idea if you wish to disconnect from the world. Another similar setting is the do not disturb option, which limits incoming calls or any notification that may draw your attention to the cell phone.
Set It Aside
Make a habit of leaving your phone behind for a whole day. This habit might be hard to incorporate at first, but it does the trick. Setting your phone aside only one day in a week can make a difference.
The best day to try this is your day off. Turn off the cell phone and put it in the drawer so you can’t see it. Once you’ve set it aside, find activities that make you feel relaxed and joyful. Go little, rockstar!
Charging Time
Charging the cell phone near the bed will only increase the probability of using it. The addiction might be tough to address, especially when you realize you’ve been three hours on TikTok and you have to wake up in four hours to go to work.
Leaving your cell phone far from bed is an excellent plan to avoid insomnia and poor sleep. Reach out to your favorite book or reading before bedtime. Try changing the habit and avoid any screen that may keep you awake.
Ask Yourself: Do I Need It?
Tricking your mind can be a great way to curb cell phone addiction. It’s not easy to play one’s mind, but it’s worth the try. Each time you reach out to your phone, remember to ask yourself if you really need to use it.
Reconsidering if checking your phone is necessary isn’t an easy task. We tend to convince ourselves it’s indispensable when it’s not. The longer you try this hack, the sooner you’ll stop mindlessly unlocking it every 30 seconds.
30-Day Experiment
The whole point of the experiment is to use the cell phone only for what it was initially invented –to communicate with people. Start a 30-day trial of only texting and calling. Disable any other app that may distract you.
It all comes down to willingness. If thirty days seems impossible, settle your goal to less. Once you start, you’ll find it easier than you thought. Cell phone addiction is real, but it can be worked out.