How to get rid of smartphone addiction?

The technology advancements are increasing at a tremendous rate. Almost each and every task in our day to day life has been linked to electronic gadgets. Smartphones are those electronic gadgets which have a significant influence on our lives.

The addiction to smartphones not only leads to less sleep or health problems but also separates us from our family. This, in the long run, will cause serious problems in their life. Many social apps like Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp etc. are making us addicted to smartphones throughout the day.

The following steps can be followed to overcome your addiction:

• Consider which uses of your smartphones you can change. Once you have done that, find an alternative and replace a smartphone for that particular use.

• Understand what this addiction is doing to your life. This should be possible by creating a list of what you missed in your life due to spending more time on your phones.

• Creating a list encourages you to understand the time that you have spent on smartphones, and makes you realize how much time and energy you have wasted on them. Thus this list helps you to understand the depth of the addiction and its side effects.

• Fix your limits. You can cut off using smartphone completely. But at some point, we have to use them in our daily life. Hence only use them when they are really needed.

• Set some ground rules. Having a list of rules encourages you to follow them, so writing it down would confirm your plans.

• You can decide your limits based on the time you use on your phone. Use the devices for finishing the task for which you had to use the device and as soon as the work is done, close the device instead of using it for recreational and other works.

• Find alternatives to divert yourself. There are many other activities in life like spending time with your family and friends, reading books, following a hobby or even going on a vacation. See that you spend outdoor time with your loved ones.

• The most important thing of all is to follow the plan set by the above rules. Do not let the temptations weaken you and avoid unnecessary usage whenever possible.

• In case of situations where you need to use your smartphones, set a timer or stop the clock to keep a track of time. With the help of these, you can quit using the devices if you notice that you have been on the device for more time.