Phone addiction

[SalterWatcher]

So I feel like this is an AA meeting.

I need to stop being on my phone so much.

During the summer holidays when I was busy with the kids I was 5 hours a day.

Yesterday was a busy day but I still managed 6 hours! FYI I can get up like 630 and spend til 715 on my phone waiting for kids to get up.

My return to work on reduced hours - so I really should be working hard in that time. But I'm really good at my job. I'm very quick so I can get things done quicker than others - I also work smart. So like now I'm on my phone on Mumsnet!

I go to sleep at around midnight so sometimes I can spent from 8pm- 1130 aimlessly scrolling.

I do use phone for admin/food shop/banking etc

But that isn't 5 hours a day.

AiBu to ask you your tips for using your phone less?

I am literally wasting my life!

I feel the same. I am so glued to my phone, even on holiday. Its grim. Lockdown hasn't helped as I'm constantly fiddling with crap.

Look up productivity apps. I've been trying one called Forest which doesn't so much lock your phone but encourages you to take longer and longer breaks.

Last year, I bought a dumbphone as a temporary measure, as my phone was getting fixed. That did give me a sense of perspective about my phone use. But not having maps or emails was shit, and most people use whatsapp rather than texting so it's annoying.

can you find a non-phone hobby? I took up crochet a few years ago (I'm still rubbish at it), but it means that I have something to do with my hands when I sit down for a break and then I'm less tempted to stare at the phone.

And if I need to work, I'll sometimes deliberately put my phone on the other side of the room so that I'm not tempted to check twitter every 5 mins.

The problem is, it's not just a phone anymore. It's the news, emails, games, contact with work, weather, maps, calendar, shopping, music, banking. All the things that used to be something separate. It can be your whole life rammed into 1 little device instead of lots of different things.

Today I have used my phone for the following - morning alarm, dealt with queries from work, check up on my son at nursery, look at houses on Rightmove, check birthdays as I needed to post cards, message friends, spoke to estate agent, added viewing into my calendar, contacted team because we've all lost system access, scrolled through FB and Mumsnet, play a game, chat with my husband, ticked off jobs on to do list, checked the weather for Wednesday.

I broke my phone last week (my cat puked on it and it stopped working). I now have a replacement but my addiction to candy soda crush has been broken, so result! But barring a puking cat, I think there are Apps you can download to limit your screen time if you're really worried about it.

@Figmentofimagination

The problem is, it's not just a phone anymore. It's the news, emails, games, contact with work, weather, maps, calendar, shopping, music, banking. All the things that used to be something separate. It can be your whole life rammed into 1 little device instead of lots of different things.

Today I have used my phone for the following - morning alarm, dealt with queries from work, check up on my son at nursery, look at houses on Rightmove, check birthdays as I needed to post cards, message friends, spoke to estate agent, added viewing into my calendar, contacted team because we've all lost system access, scrolled through FB and Mumsnet, play a game, chat with my husband, ticked off jobs on to do list, checked the weather for Wednesday.

Exactly this - so today I've done some banking - used as my alarm - obvs Mumsnet - messaged a birthday message - used it to set reminders - email the school - look up covid symptoms again!

Looked at Rightmove

Now I'm planning my daughter's homework she needs some photos of her when she was two and then I'll
Print them off!!

OP, do you think you’re living a fulfilled life?

I have no problem with technology/smartphones, they’re incredibly useful.

But I do wonder about the immediacy of them.

If we all have smartphones do they become an extension of ourselves? A new appendage?

First it felt great to be able to knock off a few bills online or reply about parent/teacher slots while waiting for gym club to be over, but it has moved on swiftly to “why didn’t you answer my text?” after a 30 minute interval.

Smartphones disrupt normal human interaction, yet sometimes enhance it (thank god Zoom etc was available during lockdown so people could chat to friends, family, and continue to work).

I don’t have an answer, but I do know I had a terrible altercation recently with one of my children, trying to remove his phone (as had been previously agreed).

This message was typed from my phone, irony alert.

Yes I think I do! But probably don't do enough for myself in saying that pre restrictions and after 3 pm I've managed to go to a friends for coffee - run an errand for an isolated friend - and drop and collect eldest from a play date and drop them to activity - if I'm not on my phone if I have a very good book I'm ok I can read and not play on my phone.

I think I'm going to start by getting an alarm clock and banishing my phone at bed time so that will take away that 1030 to midnight I piss about on my phone.

And the morning stint!

Immediacy is an issue esp whatsapp!! Cos I know when someone has read a message and doesn't respond

I'm bored at work too - I spend ages on wiki pedia etc I can't watch telly anymore cos I end up researching everything about the actors etc

Marking my place.... following for tips!! I have none I'm afraid except that occasionally setting myself goals works eg don't look at my phone for x period during the day, have a glass of wine later (which is probably also v unhealthy!!)

Just watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix, about how we're manipulated into spending hours online. Scary.
Everything we do is tracked so there's vast amounts of information available to use to keep us scrolling on. All for the sake of getting clicks for advertising revenue.
It's designed to be addictive.

I hate my phone addiction.

@DilloDaf

Just watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix, about how we're manipulated into spending hours online. Scary. Everything we do is tracked so there's vast amounts of information available to use to keep us scrolling on. All for the sake of getting clicks for advertising revenue. It's designed to be addictive.

Must watch this.

This New York Times review of The Social Dilemma sums it up well
Unplug and run

Resurrecting this to see if you've managed to cut down. I bloody hate my phone and yet can't put it down. I actually have hand pain from using it so much.

I'm 100% sure I'd be a better human without it. But I'm addicted to the distraction I think, it means I don't have to contemplate the life I'm actually living.

Placemarking. I’ve had horrendous headaches recently and I’m sure it’s from spending all day looking at either my laptop or phone screen.

It’s got to the point where even while I’m reading my kindle or watching tv, I’ll still pick up my phone every 5 mins to browse social media.

I like the idea of a non phone based hobby, perhaps I could get back into knitting

I also hate that DP and I get into bed every night and lie there looking at our phones. We used to cuddle and chat!

I cleared a load of work around the house I had to do the other so I could give myself guilt free time to read my book. Which I'm enjoying. However, I didn't even pick it up! I just wasted hours piddling about on my phone instead!

How do we go about stopping. I mean I know I need to just stop using it so much but here I am!

Listen to, or read the book “notes on a Nervous Planet” by Matt Haig that might help.

Thanks- will try it!

I’m the same and I hate. Especially the watching tv but still checking my phone every 5 mins to look at insta or some more depressing news or MN. Last two nights I’ve put my phone in another room when I watched tv. It felt good though I did look around a for it few times before I remembered.

I’m definitely going to try harder and following for tips. Leaving your phone on the other side of the room while working sounds good. I’m trying that tomorrow.

Shepherdspyreads
Snap. Quite relieved it's not just me! Both to the hand pain and the escape from life!

I’m like this but I don’t really see an issue with it. I’m in my early 20s so grew up with tech. It’s just a massive part of my life and always will be.

Being on your phone all day doesn’t necessarily mean mindlessly scrolling through social media - I use my phone for emails, sorting admin, creating reports/documents for work, reading etc. It’s a myriad of different devices/tools in one .