Giving up abusing gadgets, not scrolling through the news feed before going to bed and not being distracted by the phone screen while talking to loved ones. It really is a great goal! Here are 5 tips on how to beat digital addiction.
Find out if you have an addiction and take the first step
Signs of gadget addiction:
- You’re flipping through social media while eating.
- Can’t tear yourself away from your phone while talking.
- Playing a lot at an online casino Canada on your phone/tablet.
- Going to the bathroom with a gadget.
- Taking your phone to bed and falling asleep with it in your hand.
- Replacing all other distractions with it.
You may find you have all of the above signs of addiction or just some of them, but either way, don’t try to address them all at once. Start small. You only need one task, and the easiest one at that.
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Try it:
- Put your phone away when you’re eating or chatting, at least for the first 10 minutes.
- Check the news only once or twice a day, not five.
- Set a timer for when you play or read the news, but not too harsh to begin with.
- Make the bedroom a gadget-free zone for at least one day a week.
When you realize that the task can be accomplished without difficulty, move on to the next step and make more stringent demands on yourself.
Understand exactly why you need to limit the use of the gadget
You must clearly understand why you need to change anything at all. After all, if the problem isn’t recognized, you will not solve it. For example, there is a difference between “They say gadgets damage eyesight” and “The ophthalmologist recommended that I spend less time at the laptop.”
Let the gadget help you beat the addiction
There are many different apps that help you develop new habits and cope with gadget procrastination. And with the right motivation, they really work. Install apps like BreakFree, Moment and Escape on your phone to track your time spent online, or Motivateo and to reinforce skills to resist screen temptations.
Add rituals to your daily life
Usually, bad habits arise where there is a lack of joy. We replace live communication with gadgets when it doesn’t give us pleasure. We begin to depend on them if life isn’t filled with vivid impressions and happy events. So take the simple psychological magic of rituals:
- You can take a picture of a beautifully served breakfast, and then consciously take your phone to another room and enjoy your meal.
- Don’t take your phone with you when you take a bath. Better yet, light candles and incense put on some nice relaxing music, and dream in the semi-darkness about something good.
- The need for beauty and living positive emotions can be satisfied by good books. Of course, real books, not digital ones.
Let other people help you
It’s a good idea to take a “digital detox” course, that is, take a break from your relationship with gadgets to “reboot.” Ask loved ones to support you (or join in).
And allow the housemates to point out to you that you are addicted to the phone. Or make rules that apply to the whole family. For example, don’t take your phone to the bathroom or play after a certain hour.
It will take at least three to four months to train yourself to comply with whatever digital ethics you put in front of you. Ready? You can do it!