I decided a little while ago that I was going to make a conscious effort to cut back on the amount of time I spend using my phone. I’ve been wanting to do so for a little while, and while I’ve managed to come up with excuses to abstain from actually committing to this decision up until this point, I’ve bitten the bullet and decided to stop putting it off.
I can say with complete sincerity that this decision is one I should have made much sooner.
I’ve read enough studies and articles explaining how and why mobile phones and, more specifically, social media, can be mentally destructive. Since I’ve decided to limit my interactions with both, I can attest to the truth of this ideology. I am consistently reminding myself to ignore the habit of reaching for my phone to scroll through social media platforms aimlessly whenever I have a free moment, and instead direct my attention to what’s actually going on in reality.
It’s understandable how and why social media can negatively impact our mental health considering so many users post only what they wish to convey to others as opposed to authentic content. With such a technological surge in the past decade, smartphones have never been more popular, and our dependency on them has, in a way, turned into a fatal flaw.
Since I have decided to spend less time on my phone and social media, I’ve observed an improvement in my overall mood. I despise feeling like my phone is attached to my hand, and it has been a pleasant experience to walk away from it whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed.
I think distancing ourselves from both smartphones and social media could benefit just about all of us, and if it isn’t something you’ve considered, I recommend giving it some thought.
ontheedgeofeverything 