By Audrey Krafft —
What’s your relationship with technology like? Do you feel the need to have your phone or laptop near at all times, checking it often and using it to pass the time? Or are you relatively unattached, using it only when necessary and don’t get anxious when you accidentally leave the house without it?
If you’re the latter, I commend you! In a world of constant communication and a very small window of an “acceptable” response time, it’s only natural to treat our phones like a lifeline.
While I’ve been able to get my daily phone usage down, it’s amazing how often the addiction creeps back in. Without practicing mindfulness, it’s so easy to grab my phone and start scrolling… just because. The way I’ve been weening myself off of my phone is by asking, “why am I picking up my phone right now?” If I have a reason like, “I’m checking my email,” or “I’m going on Instagram to post something for my business,” then I’m okay with that.
If I’m picking up my phone to procrastinate and put off something I’ve been avoiding, it is not okay.
Creating an awareness around our actions is the first step toward making a meaningful change. If scrolling on your phone is your way of unwinding on a break, then set aside intentional time to do it — with a time limit. If you know that social media is a trigger and doesn’t fuel you (like it is for me), then find other ways to spend your break like reading a book, going for a walk or calling a friend.
And don’t forget about naps! Naps are totally underrated.
I’ve gone through phases of resenting technology and feeling anxious while on it, but now I see it as a simple and effective tool for communicating with friends, family and customers. But that’s all it should be – a tool.
I’m so over the way technology steals special moments and takes away the ability to live in the present. Think about what we may be missing out on when we’re, for example, waiting in line somewhere and we choose to fill those five minutes on our phones. That time could be spent looking around and witnessing beautiful, loving interactions, chatting it up with a stranger that could change your life (or vice versa) or something hilarious you can then go home and share with your family.
The next time you find yourself with the gift of extra time, soak it in and keep your phone tucked away. Technology can wait, life won’t.
Here are a few ways that I track and manage my technology usage (I’m an iPhone user but I’m sure Android phones have similar resources):
- Put your phone on Airplane mode and out of sight when you’re not using it. Alternatively, you can put it on Do Not Disturb mode (still out of sight) so you can be accessible for any emergency calls from your loved ones.
- Check your Screen Time to see how much time you’re spending on your phone, how often you check your phone and where your time is actually being spent; it’s incredibly eye opening! On Sundays I get a report card telling me if my usage has gone up, down or stayed the same. While I love seeing minimal hourly usage, I have to remind myself that I use my phone for work, so sometimes seeing how my time was spent is more valuable information than how many hours I was on my phone.
- Turn off notifications so you choose when to check your phone. I’ve had my email notifications off for years, so I’m not distracted every time a message comes through. Many of the emails I get throughout the day are promotions or information that I won’t be responding to but can read during dedicated and intentional time. I aim to check and respond to emails just a couple times per day. I find this to be the most time and cost efficient!
- Hide or remove apps from your phone that are the most distracting but least beneficial. I keep the ones that are most tempting to check out of habit off my home screen and instead on a second or third page or delete and only download when I’m planning using it with purpose and intention.
While this may seem like a lot of effort, with a little awareness and small actions, setting yourself up for success will reap invaluable benefits that’ll last you a lifetime. You’ll be amazed by your increased productivity, the extra time you find in your day and how empowered you feel. Over time, the hours you’ll spend on things that light you up can change the direction of your life.
Don’t ever take the small, intentional actions for granted. That’s where the magic lives.
Audrey Krafft lives in Kenwood and is the creator of Kraffty Kitchen, a local company that makes sugar free cookie dough. KrafftyKitchen.com
Photo by Diane Askew
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