We’ve all been there. It’s the end of a long day, and you’re exhausted. You plop on the couch to scroll on your phone for a few minutes before you go to bed.
The problem is, the habit lasts longer than intended. A brief 10-minute scroll on Instagram unexpectedly turns into a two-hour binge down an endless rabbit hole. You become frustrated with yourself, knowing the habit has cut into your precious sleep, which will make the start of your day tomorrow exponentially harder.
If this behavior sounds familiar, recognize that you are not alone. According to a recent survey, the average American checks their phone 205 times per day, which is the equivalent of almost once every five minutes while they’re awake. According to the same survey, over 43 percent of Americans feel addicted to their phones, and over 80 percent check their phones within the first 10 minutes of waking up (1).
These alarming figures are evidence that we are mindlessly spending an excessive amount of time on our smartphones without considering their impact on our health. Evidence shows that excess screen time is associated with a host of mental and physical health problems. Mental health difficulties include a worsening in depression, anxiety, and overall well-being. Physical hazards include eye strain and neck, shoulder, and back pain (2). Furthermore, excess screen time is associated with disruptions to sleep and even an increased risk of early-onset dementia in late adulthood (3, 4).
The detrimental effects of smartphone use became apparent to me on a previous family vacation. Being an early bird, I woke up before my family to go for a light jog on the beach. The sight and sounds of the waves gently hitting the shore, along with the salty ocean breeze caressing my face, made for a tranquilizing experience. I was in my happy place until I instinctively pulled out my phone to check the time. My state of calm was replaced with palpable tension as I debated whether to read notifications and text messages that were vying for my attention. Ultimately, I decided they could wait until the end of my run. Though brief, this experience showed me how our phones can negatively impact our mood and anxiety, even in the most serene setting.
Pointing out the detrimental effects of excess screen use does not mean you need to completely ditch your smartphone and go back to the Stone Age. After all, your phone serves important functions, including access to information and ease of communication. Rather, I want you to have healthy boundaries with your smartphone to minimize its negative effects on your health.
If you feel like your smartphone use has been excessive and has come at a cost, don’t despair. Studies have shown that interventions to reduce digital screen use improve mood and overall well-being (5).
6 tips for setting healthy boundaries with your smartphone
1. Don’t keep it on you.
We often reach for our phones out of habit. Silencing your phone is not an adequate intervention. If your phone is physically on you, you will be seduced into reaching for it, even if it is on silent mode.
Your best bet to reduce the amount of time you spend on your phone is to leave it in a different room. This eliminates the visual and physical cue urging you to reach for it. As a personal example, I leave my phone in the mudroom after I arrive home from work. This behavior creates an essential physical boundary between me and my phone that helps me be more present with loved ones.
2. Monitor your usage.
Making progress is difficult if you have no data to monitor. Be it writing a paper, saving enough money for retirement, or striving to be healthier, keeping track of data will help you achieve your personal goals.
Take a moment to check how much time you spend on your smartphone. Odds are you are spending more time than you realize. Though sobering, this data can serve as a powerful motivator to change your behavior.
3. Set time limits.
Setting time limits can be a useful tool to reduce the amount of time you spend on your phone. As an example, you can consider designating two 15-minute time slots per day for checking social media with alarms to notify you when the time slot has elapsed. You can set notifications on certain social media apps when you have reached this limit.
4. Practice mindfulness.
We often engage in behaviors to change our emotional state. You might reach for your phone when you feel stressed, tired, or plain bored. The next time you are about to reach for your phone, press pause. Take a moment to observe how you are feeling and ask yourself whether there are healthier alternatives for coping.
Going for a walk, calling a friend, or journaling your thoughts and feelings can improve your emotional state without the baggage that comes with excessive screen time.
5. Make your phone less appealing.
One reason our smartphones are addictive is that the bright colors on the screen are visually appealing. Switching your phone to grayscale mode can make time on your phone a less desirable experience, which will help you set boundaries with it. I have previously made the switch and can attest that looking at a gray screen is not an appealing experience.
6. Think about loved ones.
Our smartphones facilitate communication with people around the world, but often take us away from loved ones living under the same roof. It is impossible to be on your smartphone and simultaneously be present with loved ones.
Watching my children grow is a stark reminder that my time with them is limited. It may sound cliché, but the days are long and the years short. I don’t want to waste precious time and energy being glued in front a screen.
