(Newswire.net — May 1, 2019) — Can you remember the last time you were away from your smartphone for longer than a couple of hours? Do you get anxious when your battery gets low or there’s a chance of losing service?
Whether you’re willing to admit it or not, you have a smartphone addiction. In fact, the majority of the population – and nearly 100 percent of millennials – have what doctors would label a classifiable addiction. We treat smartphones like an appendage on our bodies and can’t seem to do life without them. But what if you did?
As countercultural as it may be, ditching your smartphone for a traditional flip phone could lead to a happier and more fulfilling life. Are you willing to discover the benefits of disconnecting firsthand?
The Case for Ditching Your Smartphone
Smartphones aren’t evil, but the way we rely on them can be self-destructive. Not only do smartphones impact your quality of sleep by keeping you awake at night, but they also provide us with a sort of digital high. Dr. David Greenfield, founder and medical editor of The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction (CITA) calls the smartphone the world’s smallest slot machine.
“When you check it, if it is desirable for you, you get a little elevation of dopamine, and if it’s not, you won’t,” Dr. Greenfield explains. “The thing is that it’s variable, just like a slot machine. In other words you can’t predict what you’re going to get, when you’re going to get it, and how good it’s going to be. That’s what makes it very compelling and addictive.”
When a device has this much power over your life, bad things are bound to happen. This is part of the reason why stress, anxiety, and depression rates are at an all-time high. And while getting rid of your smartphone won’t cure all of your ailments, it’ll certainly help.
5 Practical Suggestions
Is it even possible to ditch your smartphone without becoming a social outcast? (This is the question we’re all asking ourselves.) Believe it or not, you can do it. It does, however, take a little planning and forethought. Here are a few suggestions to make the experience a little smoother:
1. Understand Your Why
Don’t ditch your smartphone simply because you read this article and think it sounds neat. In order to make this work for any period of time, you have to understand why you’re doing it. Is it to improve productivity, curb anxiety, or to spend more time with your kids? Having a specific purpose will drive you to succeed.
2. Set a Goal
Start this journey with a specific goal in mind. Instead of trying to ditch a smartphone for life – which will immediately feel daunting – have a finite goal. For example, try using a flip phone for one month. This makes the challenge much more manageable and then allows you to reevaluate your situation in a few weeks.
3. Find a Dumb Phone
Find the right phone for your needs. If you still plan on doing a lot of texting (such as for business purposes), look for a “dumb phone” with a QWERTY keyboard. If you want something even more basic, you go with an older option that has nothing more than a phone, calculator, and alarm.
4. Discover Alternative Methods
Most people find the initial transition from a smartphone to a flip phone to be rather jarring. It’s not just the social media apps that are gone. Suddenly, you no longer have access to online banking, transportation apps (like Uber), GPS, group communication apps (like Slack), or email. You’ll have to find workarounds for some of these issues, but don’t let them cause dismay. It is possible to live this way.
5. Use Your Time Wisely
Finally, make sure you use all of this newfound time wisely. If you’re displacing one distraction for another (like playing video games or sleeping in), nothing significant will change in your life. Instead, you should adopt healthy, constructive habits – such as exercising, cooking healthy meals, reading, or spending more time with your kids. The benefits of these habits will become so appealing that the idea of returning to your smartphone will no longer hold much promise.
Rediscover Happiness and Fulfillment
Do you remember what life was like before you had a smartphone? Do you remember how much more engaged you were? When you were in a room, you were actually there. There wasn’t the constant pressure to take a picture, like someone’s social media post, or swipe through your favorite apps. You were free to enjoy the moment and interact with those around you.
By ditching your smartphone and switching to a simplified version – like a flip phone – you can turn back the page and return to a simpler time. Try for it a month and see what you think. Don’t be surprised if it becomes your new normal.