Stop the Scroll: How to Break Your Phone Addiction.

Thank you to the wonderful, Luke Smith. for writing this week’s post.

Smartphones are addicting. Nearly everyone has one, and one survey found that nearly 50% of people spend 5–6 hours on their phones each day.

For Millennials, smartphone addiction is a very real — and potentially harmful — condition.

Not only is phone addiction bad for your mental health, but it can impact your productivity, as well. When you work a job that requires focus and dedication, scrolling on your phone all day can create problems quickly.

The rise in remote work may make things even worse. When you’re sitting at home, even if you’re supposed to be working, it’s easy to get distracted by your phone and lose a lot of time mindlessly scrolling. It’s no wonder the smartphone is often referred to as a Millennials’ drug of choice.

So, what can you do to break your phone addiction and make sure you’re staying productive while you work?

Change Your Daily Habits

Breaking your phone addiction requires some lifestyle changes. When you view it as a “punishment”, you’re less likely to stick with it, and you can fall back into old habits. So, instead of solely focusing on using your phone less, focus on making healthier choices all around for your physical and mental health. That could include things like:

• Improving your sleep hygiene
• Adopting a healthier diet
• Drinking more water
• Spending time outside

It’s also a good idea to get more exercise, even if it’s to offset your daily screen time use. Because smartphone usage can be linked to depression and anxiety, it’s important to find ways to combat that. Exercising comes with multiple health benefits, including improved concentration, boosted mood, and even increased motivation.

If you’re working remotely, exercising at home is easier than you might think. Whether you create a full home gym or utilise online workout videos, you don’t have to go to a public gym to get in a great workout.

When you decide to limit your phone use as part of your healthy changes, it won’t feel as overwhelming. Eventually, it’ll become second nature, and you won’t have such a hard time staying away from scrolling.

Take Breaks

Though it might seem counterproductive, taking breaks throughout the workday can make a big difference in how often you use your phone and how productive you are during the day.

For most people, productivity isn’t a time management issue. It’s a distraction issue. If you’re sitting in one spot all day, you’re bound to get distracted by the things around you and eventually give in to those distractions.

One way to combat that is to allow yourself breaks.

It’s up to you to decide how often you need a break, but let’s use the example of taking one five-minute break every hour. You can use that time to do whatever you’d like, including scrolling through social media. You can even allow yourself one longer break during the day to get outside or take a walk around the block. Mindful movement will help to boost your energy levels and keep you motivated.

But, even a quick few minutes of “free time” every hour can make your mind feel less deprived. Five minutes might not seem like a long time, but it’s often enough to satisfy the desire to look at your phone. So, you’ll be less distracted and can use the other 55 minutes in your hour to focus solely on work.

Make a Commitment

If you know you have a phone addiction, one of the best things you can do is commit to stopping it. That might require a detox, of sorts. Think of your smartphone addiction as any other type of drug problem, and the lengths you would go to put an end to it. Some tips to keep in mind include:

• Pausing to think before you pick up your phone
• Setting limits on your screen time
• Getting rid of apps that distract you
• Silencing notifications
• Hiding your phone away while you’re working

It might also be easier to break your phone habit if you have a support system, or others around you are doing the same thing. Consider getting your family involved by teaching them about mindful technology use.

You can even create a screen time agreement — for all of you — to limit the amount of time you spend on your digital devices. If you recognise the drawbacks of your phone addiction, the last thing you want is to pass that on to your kids, especially at a young age. Helping them establish healthy phone habits now will make a big difference.

Whether you’re a Millennial who has depended on your smartphone for everything, or a member of a different generation who has fallen into a phone addiction that’s impacting your work, it’s time to break the cycle.

Use these ideas to overcome your phone addiction and stop the scroll. In doing so, you won’t only improve your productivity at work, but you’ll be more present in your personal life, too.

Luke Smith is a writer and researcher turned blogger. Since finishing college he is trying his hand at being a freelance writer. He enjoys writing on a variety of topics but leadership and digital marketing topics are his favourite. When he isn’t writing you can find him traveling, hiking, or gaming.

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