How can we enjoy all the tools technology puts at our fingertips while avoiding the pitfalls?

There are few technological developments more significant than smartphones, social media, and the “connectedness” of everything. Learning, relaxing, working, creating, socializing– the possibilities smartphones present seem endless. 

And that’s part of the problem. 

Smartphones also create new possibilities for distraction, disconnection, and destructive habits.

We need to our phone in its place

Ask yourself, “Do I have a healthy relationship with my phone?” I’ll try to avoid using the word “addiction,” but consider the following information with an open mind.

• Our phones are typically the first thing we reach for when we wake up, the last thing we touch before we go to sleep, and the one thing we can’t imagine living without.
• Americans open their phones 160 times daily, or once every 9 minutes.
• The average person spends 4 hours and 10 minutes on mobile devices daily.
• Users click, tap, and swipe their phones 2,617 a day. 
• 17.3% of parents admit they spend more time on their phones than with their children. (The key word here is “admit.”)
• Employees use their phones 56 minutes per workday for non-work related purposes.

Okay. We use our phones a lot. We have to, right? Well, about half of Americans describe themselves as having “an addiction  to their phones.”

All the convenience and connectivity can come with unintended consequences. The impact of all that use is staggering. 

• Reduced frequency and quality of face-to-face conversations.
• Decreased physical activity and increased obesity.
• Poor sleep patterns.
• Reduced concentration, short-term memory, and problem-solving skills.
• Increased stress, anxiety, depression, insecurity, and loneliness.

Yikes! When it comes to smartphone use, keep two things in mind. First, this isn’t a zero-sum game. We don’t have to choose between using our phones 24/7 or not using them at all. Just like our diets, most of us have room to improve.

We need to realize the game is rigged

These technologies are designed to get your attention, keep it, and profit. Developers know all about brain chemistry. We’ll have to intentionally increase our mindfulness to avoid manipulation.

Here are some simple, practical strategies from the experts. 

1. Turn off notifications for everything on your phone that you reasonably can. Check your phone when you choose to, not when your phone commands you to.
2. Ban your phone from your bedroom. Get an actual alarm clock.
3. Try the 50/50 Rule. No phone use for 50 minutes when you wake up and 50 minutes before you want to go to sleep.
4. There’s an app for that! Use your phone to help you not use your phone. (Apps like Freedom, YourHour, Flipd, Offtime, Mute, and Moment can help you set goals and make curbing phone use fun.)
5. Use your phone’s “Focus” and “Do Not Disturb” features.
6. Move your most distracting apps off your home screen.
7. Schedule a screen-free hour into your day.
8. Create a contest (and accountability) with a family member or friend to reduce phone use.

Be honest and good to yourself

Maybe you just need to be more mindful of the time spent on your phone. Set small, incremental goals and gamify the process. You may need to face up to a full-blown phone addiction. Ironically, you can easily google resources to get help.

There’s a story about an older fish crossing currents with two younger fish. The older fish makes small talk by asking, “How’s the water today, fellas?” Almost in unison, the younger fish reply, “Fine,” as they continue on their way. Then one of the younger fish turns to the other and asks, “What the heck is water?” 

Of course, the moral of the story is that the younger fish have been so busy doing fish things that they’ve never noticed the most obvious element of their environment.

We’re reaching a saturation point in our environment where digital technology is standard and so deeply embedded that we barely even notice it, let alone question it. We’re busy doing our human things. 

A question like why there is a screen in the gas pump showing highlights from a late-night talk show hardly seems worth asking. Exploring how all of this technology affects us, our families, and society can seem like a quirky curiosity. Just enjoy it, right?

It’s become difficult to think of an aspect of everyday life that doesn’t run on ones and zeros zipping through a server in some far-off, climate-controlled room. As much as I could live without commercials while I’m pumping gas, I can’t imagine life without today’s remarkable technologies. 

I’ve become absolutely dependent on my smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, and laptop. And streaming music and movies. And my car navigating as its sensors help keep me safe. And Alexa turning on my lights. And Google answering my questions in a nanosecond. And artificial intelligence anticipating when I’ll be low on coffee. 

It goes on and on. You get the point. But we can’t just swim around in this stuff without asking sensible questions. Sure, I love what technology has given me, but what is it taking? Should I be concerned that the smartphone in my pocket is apparently not convenient enough? Wearable technology is expected to grow to 489.1 million devices globally this year.

There are legitimate concerns about the effects of screen time and social media, particularly for children and teens. About half of teens report feeling overwhelmed by the daily notifications they receive. Teenagers who spend five hours a day on electronic devices are 71% more likely to have suicide risk factors than those with one-hour use.

Smartphones, laptops, and Wi-Fi allow many of us to collaborate with our co-workers from home. That’s awesome. But research indicates that most infidelity occurs between co-workers and begins via text and email– avenues of communication that lend themselves to secrecy and allow intimacy to escalate quickly. That’s tragic.

The average American adult reportedly checks their phone 344 times a day. 35% admit to using or looking at their phone while driving, causing 26% of car accidents and killing 11 people per day. 

There are genuine catastrophes associated with our infatuation with technology. And there’s some plain puzzling stuff. 61% of Americans reported that they had recently texted someone in the same room. Over half say their smartphone is their most valued possession. According to multiple surveys, a third of Americans indicated they would rather give up sex than their smartphone. Um, what?

Does. Any. Of. This. Sound. Healthy? Can we talk about our culture’s relationship with technology and take an honest look at our own? Can we learn how to enjoy the benefits of technology for ourselves and our families while avoiding these hazards?

Over the next few weeks, this space will engage the question, “What the heck is water?” I hope to see you here.