Putting down technology in many ways seems pretty straightforward in theory, but with the way the world has changed in the last 10 or so years, you can’t go or do anything without a smartphone. Tickets, passes, payments, calling, emails, camera, MP3 player, and such have merged into this singular device. It is, by any means, not a bad thing; having everything on one device is extremely helpful. Now you don’t need to lug individual MP3 players (iPods, CD players, Walkmans), a camera, your wallet, and such around with you, all in a convenient, easy-to-track singular place. Of course, this has led to an interesting development: you will constantly have your phone with you; not having it may make you anxious, after all, it contains your entire life.
Based on some recent data, the average smartphone will disrupt its owner about 150 to 200 times a day, which is estimated to be pretty low, according to a study in 2025, estimating that the average person is touching/interacting with the smartphone over 2,617 times a day, which ends up being about every 30 seconds within 24 hours. You can imagine what kind of dependencies, affect this might have on your mind.
Far be it from me to tell anyone not to have or interact wth their smartphone. Then again, the purpose of this blog post is to reduce your smartphone interactions. To start, let's explain why it matters to reduce how often we interact with it each day. For a start, it’s to prevent problematic smartphone usage or smartphone addictions. Take a moment, put your smartphone in another room, on silent. Then see how long you can go without getting it. How high did your anxiety get before you went to get it, and how quickly did it reach that point?
We, as a society, have a technology problem: we can’t live without it; it’s part of everything we do. So, unlike smoking, drugs, or alcohol, where you can focus on going without, you effectively have to take another hit of technology to interact with the world around you.
So that's what this is about: how can you reduce how often you interact with your phone?
First, if you don’t have to have it on your person, don’t. Put it in the same safe place when at home, work, etc. A drawer, on your desk, in your bag/purse, or locker. Somewhere not on your person.
Second, put it on eternal silent mode. Anyone calling you can leave a message; texts don’t have to be responded to right away. Social media notifications are not going anywhere. The constant dings, pings, chimes or alerts can cause real, long-lasting consequences for your ability to concentrate. Put your phone on silent and keep it that way, turn off all unnecessary notifications, and let your friends and family know it's on silent. Your brain and productivity will thank you.
Third, don’t use your smartphone for everything. I still use an MP3 player; I have a digital camera I use when travelling; I carry a book with me; and I am just fine standing around waiting for my buddy to be done so we can get lunch. Pulling out my phone isn't my go-to. I make sure there are plenty of other things, none phone-related, to keep me occupied. You should do the same.
Fourth, alarm clocks are a lot cheaper to replace. If you have read other blogs of mine, you will know that I advocate not using your phone as an alarm clock to wake up in the morning. Having it within reach of your bed can disrupt your sleep. Much better to have a cheap alarm clock go off to wake you up. Hit, smash and throw that thing, and it’s easy to replace; on the other hand, your phone … need I say more? Be willing and able to use dedicated items for singular purposes, so you're reaching for your phone even one time less a day.
The fifth and final helpful piece of advice I have is to have routines and rules for your phone use. Keeping the phone out of your room, the same place at home, no phone after 9 pm, stay off the phone while at work, to name a few.
For additional help, reach out to a therapist near you or online. Your brain will thank you. Reducing the amount of time you use your phone can make a big difference in the long run for your sleep, ability to concentrate, creativity, anxiety, stress, loneliness, insecurity, relationships, work/school success, and psychological disorders.
An excellent book on this to consider is 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week by Tiffany Shlain—a great resource to explore if you or your family are considering unplugging from screens.
By Andre Stam, RP, CCC, OCT, is a psychotherapist who specializes in sleep, teacher support, burnout, anxiety, and depression. He has training in CBT. CBT-I, DBT, SE, and Narrative therapy.
