I felt ashamed and disappointed in myself..
It was a shock.
Not initially being a fan of smartphones let alone social media, it was quite a shock when I had to admit to myself that yes, I had indeed become “addicted” to my mobile phone and “scrolling” OMG. I felt ashamed and actually disappointed in myself.
About 30+ years ago we never had mobile phones, so what did we do with our time?
Constantly scrolling (aka doom scrolling!) eats into valuable time, time we cannot retrieve. Time we could use to do more productive things like actually reading a book, magazine, going for walks, exercising, cooking, decluttering, listening/playing music, socialising, dancing etc., etc.
So WHY do we constantly seek out our mobiles? Is it boredom? Is it for inspiration & motivation? Is it because of loneliness and a craving for social connection? Is it a form of escapism or merely procrastination? Or is it all of the above??
Apart from the time factor, the radiation that mobile phones emit is enormous, more so from the 5G types. The findings on this are scary and yet many still refuse to believe it.
If you too are trying to curb your mobile phone usage, maybe the below will help you. Or maybe you’re already doing these things! Either way, hope this is helpful.
Beyond these tips, further down on this post are also some ideas on what to do instead of using your mobile.
Use the Instagram timer (limit your time on here to1.5hrs per day at least)
Take advantage of your mobile screen timer (limit to 2hrs total per day)
Turn off notification sounds for all apps except SMS and your main email account (not many use simple SMS nowadays as opposed to Whatsapp, so if your SMS beeps, you’ll know it’s important)
Archive all non-essential Whatsapp chats especially ‘group chats’
Turn off Whatsapp (& any other app) ‘read receipts’
Photo by Eirik Solheim on Unsplash Remove ‘time killer’ social media (or other) apps from your mobile ‘home screen’ and relocating them far, far away amongst your unused (or rarely used) apps
Switch off Medium, Substack etc., notifications (because really, is every notification necessary?)
Keep your mobile phone far far away from you (unless you’re ‘on call’ or for other important reasons)
Every time you get the urge to look at your mobile, distract yourself with something else more productive or just plain fun
What to do instead of using your mobile phone
Go for a walk or run
Sit in nature/visit a beach or lake (being near water alters your brain chemistry apparently & makes you feel calmer)
Play/hug with your pet/s
Try out new recipes
De-clutter your wardrobe
Sort through your ancient, dusty folders of out-dated documents (you thought you needed to keep!)
Watch a movie, documentary or anything else that interests you
Chat with your partner/family members (now there’s an idea!)
Do some gardening
Chat to your neighbour/s (over the wall, like in the olden days!)
Go out for a meal with your friends (but keep your mobile in your bag/away from the table)
Learn something new & upskill, there are tons of sites to access ‘free’ courses (i.e., Alison.com, Udemy, Coursera etc.)
Sort through your photos, put them in albums/boxes (whatever you prefer)
Take a siesta (it’s a healthy way to boost energy and brain power)
Clean your bedroom, bathroom, living/dining area etc., (dust really can be such a pain and so stubborn!)
Sort through your laundry cupboard (& put aside items to donate to the needy)
Cuddle your kid/s, show some TLC
Photo by Mieke Campbell on Unsplash Experiment with writing, singing, dancing or drawing (or anything creative) for fun! You never know, you just may really enjoy yourself!
Do a load (or two) of laundry
Write letters to friends you haven’t spoken to in aages OR you can ‘Zoom’ them (if they’re living far away from you) on your computer (not your mobile!)
Just ‘be’; I know this is a bit of a cliché, but try it. Do nothing, it’s never a crime.
You may ‘Buy me a coffee’ if you feel like supporting my ‘second chance writing project’. I thank you in advance, if you do :-)
