Do you spend 5 hours a day doing this?
In preparation for this week's topic, I did research. I was interested in how much time people spend on their devices, what the impact of the time on their phones was on their health and whether mobile devices are linked to stress. What I found was the answer is on average people spend five hours a day on their mobile device. There was research that suggested more or less, but five seemed midrange. Mobile device usage has been linked to eye issues, posture issues, anxiety and much more. When I initially slotted this week for talking about technology, my goal was to focus on the ways we can simplify our lives by reducing the clutter on our devices. Clean up emails, limit screen time, delete unnecessary apps, clean up contacts, turn off notifications, and more.
Here is a list of tips for cleaning up your mobile devices:
Photos & Files
Delete bad or duplicate photos
Delete old files
Backup files and photos to the cloud
Social Media
Turn off notifications
Declutter your friend list on social media
Unfollow any groups you are not interested in
Look at your email and flag any spam or junk emails
Organize your emails
Delete emails that are no longer relevant
Maintenance
Empty the trash on your phone
Install updates, patches, etc.
Clean off your home screen
Clear your cache and browsing history
Unsubscribe from services you are not using
Review and delete any unused apps
Clean up your contact list
These tips and tricks should help you to reduce the amount of information you have coming at you when you look at your phone. You can do a phone detox if you need to cut back on the hours spent on your phone daily. Here are some methods you can use:
Turn off your data
Put your phone away
Find a hands-on activity you want to do
Don't take your phone in your bedroom
Put your phone on silent
Turn off your phone
Phone free mealtimes
Use an alarm clock - not your phone
Airplane mode
Set a morning routine without mobile devices
Cutting back on the mobile devices in your life will allow you more time to enjoy time with the people in your life, to appreciate participating in activities and to engage with the world around you. Less screen time helps to reduce eyestrain, stress, and improve your posture. By detoxing and cutting back an hour or two a day, you'll also have more time to do the things you want to do in life. Perhaps that is taking an exercise class, visiting with friends or meditating. Make your physical and mental wellbeing your priority.
