How to not get addicted to your smartphone: Tips by a former addict

23 September 2020 Wednesday

Reading time: 6 minutes

PHASE 1: If you just bought a new smartphone. Make sure you keep these things in mind:

• You are in a really interesting world right now. But when you start using the smartphone and start feeling this virtual and simulated world (i.e time you spend using smartphone) is more interesting than the real world. Exactly at that point of time, turn off the screen of your phone. Remember: Real world is the best world and must be your highest priority.
• Don’t use your phone more than 3 hours a day.
• Use it to help you become more productive. Read books on it, List tasks to be done, Whatever you read online make sure it is worth it and note it down in writing. Make it count. Develop skills using it. Skills that matter in the real world too.
• Whatsapp , Facebook , Instagram or any other social media apps are a boon if used just to keep in touch with people. Unending feeds and thousands of short videos are going to get generated again. Being updated is a myth. If you have the right info at the right time that’s enough.

PHASE 2: You are using your phone extensively since 6 months and you spent most of the time doing nothing else:

• You haven’t lost much yet. It’s time to get realistic.
• Keep this in mind. The movies you watch, games you play, news you read or anything else. Your brain is processing that info. It stops producing it’s own. This is just my own experience.
• Smartphone is just a tool. Use it fill the knowledge gaps you have. Real learning happens when you start studying ,implementing and creating something of your own.

PHASE 3: After 1-2 years. You have faced some academic failures. You are in panic mode right now. But you are helpless:

• First sign of addiction is when you deny with anger , when somebody says “YOU ARE ADDICTED”.
• Take help from people around and slowly reduce your smartphone usage. Take a 21 days no phone usage mission. Rediscover yourself.
• You are also addicted in some or the other way if you say this sentence: “I do useful things, I am not like others”.
• Spend most of your time on other activities like “help your parents with chores, take a walk with your sibling, read without distraction, continuously for 1-2 hours “.

PHASE 4: Three to four years later. You have no skills, no hopes. You are just with your smartphone. You are trying hard not to use your phone. You are failing terribly:

• I will tell you how I overcame it.
• First of all. I had to compare myself with my classmates, siblings and achievers of my age group who were doing great in every field. (Not for a non-addict)
• I analyzed and acknowledged whatever mistakes I was doing. I even asked people around me.
• I slowly started working to achieve small goals. Like doing good academically, Re-gaining interest in other things. Listening to people around. Communicating your ideas. Developing a good social and friend circle.
• When I started feeling happy about my improvements and willingness to inculcate new skills. I stopped comparing and regained my lost confidence and consciousness. That was me. You can try it too.
• You will set free from addiction slowly. But for sure. Don’t lose hope.
• Set App timer, Night mode, Stop using phone after 11 P.M at night and max time you spend shouldn’t be more than 5 hours. Later you can cut it down to 3 hours.

Even if you didn’t know till now that you are an addict. Now at-least you know you are. Don’t deny. Take the right measures at the right time.

It is as serious and damaging as any alcohol, drugs or others. Because it affects you mentally and is a pure wasted potential.

Set your priorities right and keep balance. Too much is too bad. I have personally faced all these ill effects and they are not worth it. Smartphone is just a life-enhancing tool. Not your life itself.

Hope it helps. Thank you.

I got my first smartphone in May 2012. It was not an Android. Java based one running on Bada OS. I couldn’t do much with it, anyways I lost it in August 2013. But it was the basis of my addiction. Even though I couldn’t do much with it I used to spend 2-3 hours playing just 2 games on it. After a gap of 6 months I got my mom’s Galaxy S Duos. The same usage pattern continued. But it didn’t affect me then.

Micromax smartphone I got in May 2014. Literally became the example of real smartphone addiction. I used to spend the whole day with it. But I never used to realize I was addicted. It took me 3 years to overcome addiction.

Don’t worry, I’m fine now. I overcame it. But it took it’s toll.