Phone Challenge!
With Thanksgiving behind us and more holidays ahead, it’s a great time to take stock of your relationship with your phone. If you celebrated Thanksgiving with others, did you notice anyone being on their phone instead of being present with the group? Did you take solace in your phone if you were stressed or needing a break from festivities?
In this interesting NPR Ted Radio Hour, Dr. Sahib Khalsa, a neuroscientist and psychiatrist at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research, explains how technology actually can cause more distress in our bodies than relax us:
External distractions from our phones can overstimulate the nervous system
Thus, technology can distract us from noticing important signals from the brain
This makes it harder to notice how we're feeling, meaning we can scroll for hours, not paying attention to how tired we are, or how unhappy scrolling makes us feel
This worsens the negative sensations we might feel, like anxiety and tension
Given the increased stress of the holiday time and knowing that being present with others is a wonderful way to be more mindful, this is a great time to Take a Phone Challenge! Here are a few ways you might decrease your phone use:
1. Set specific time limits for phone use
If you are opening your phone to look at pictures or social media, or you are hunting for a bargain, give yourself a time limit, such as 10 minutes. Use the timer on your phone to remind yourself to get off when time’s up!
2. Set phone free times
Think about times you are tempted to have your phone out, such as when you are walking, watching tv, or in a group of people.
Then, give yourself a rule to put your phone away. Example: After dinner, I will put my phone on the charger. Voila - no phone out during the evening and you can be present with whatever activity you choose.
3. Create phone free zones
Think about areas you might want to have your phone off limits, such as in your bedroom or the dinner table. In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear cites research that proves having your phone in a different room creates more focus than simply having your phone in your pocket, even if you aren’t using it. Removing that cell phone from your near vicinity will help your brain relax and focus on the task at hand!
If you use your phone as an alarm clock or sound machine, consider getting an old-fashioned alarm clock or sound machine - your brain will thank you.
As always, don’t try too much at once. Perhaps choose one of these strategies and break it into little steps to build the foundation of a new habit. Our attention is our most valuable resource, and what we pay attention to matters!
