Defeat cell phone addiction: Here's how!
Acknowledging that you have a problem is the first step in overcoming it. So, before we talk about smartphone detox, we must first admit that our phone is in control of us and not the other way around.
It often seems like we can't tear ourselves away from our devices in the midst of emails, social notifications, games, videos, stories and more.
One minute you're replying to a message on WhatsApp and the next minute you're passively scrolling through Instagram without even realizing what you're looking at.
But fun as that is at the moment, it also means we can't really focus on anything else. Many people are therefore trying to distance themselves from their smartphones: According to a survey by the research company GWI, younger users in particular are trying to use their phones as little as possible in order to maintain their mental health.
So, there are two alternatives: either we go to the extreme (and lock the device directly in a time-locked cabinet), or we can change some settings in the apps to waste less time.
The first step to smartphone detox is to install the Checky app , which lets you check how many times you pick up your smartphone per day (and can tell you which apps you keep opening). When you realize that you've exceeded 50 times in half a day, you can get a better idea of how serious the situation is.
Reduce notifications and disable read receipts to relieve pressure and paranoia. Go to Settings, then Account, select Privacy and turn off read receipts - now you won't see those dreaded blue ticks - neither will the people you message.
The easiest would be to delete apps like Facebook from your phone and only use them when you are in front of the computer. That's why you should download a browser extension like "News Feed Eradicator" for Chrome, which will recognize the Facebook feed, block it and insert a literary citation instead.
Go to "Settings", tap "Privacy", select "Posts" and check "Hide Likes and Views Count". Removing the like count is a good way to dissociate yourself from society unless your compulsion is Instagram stories.
Delete the app from your phone and only watch videos on your computer. There is an extension for Chrome that allows you to improve viewing and block the recommended videos sidebar. If you can break out of the loop of consecutive videos that the social network offers, you've made a big step.
Set a time limit and close the app. Go to Settings, Digital Wellbeing, then Screen Time Management to set a time limit of 40, 60, 90, or 120 minutes per day. When your time is up, you will need to enter a password to continue using TikTok. That should be enough to convince you to do something else.
Constantly checking email is the biggest productivity killer. It's better to turn off email notifications and only check them a few times a day in emergencies to keep your inbox from filling up. You can also create an auto reply that explains your method and warns senders to expect an immediate reply.
[ Via GQ Germany]