How To Mindfully Use Our Phones Less

Struggling to stop mindless scrolling and aiming to use your phone less?

You are definitely not alone.

I would venture to say the vast majority of people I know are on their phones longer than they would like and aim to use it less, especially when it comes to social media.

The average user checks their device almost 50 times per day and spends about 3 hours a day on their phone. Too much screen time has been linked to mood issues and lack of motivation.

I think we all feel the pull away from productivity from time to time due to the distraction that is our smart phone.

Here are a few quick tips on how to use your phone time more mindfully and reduce overall screen usage:

1 – Challenge yourself.

Within your settings, there is a Screen Time function that measures your average daily use. Check to see what your hours spent online was last week and make it a goal to decrease it by 25% or more. Just this simple act of awareness can have a huge impact on overall usage.

2 – Move your most used apps away from your home page.

Often times when we pick up our phone, we are just glancing at the screen and if we don’t see our favorite app front and center (mine is Instagram) we will be less likely to open it up.

This reduces temptation which is half the battle. I’ve moved my Instagram app to the 3rd page of my apps and it’s helped tremendously.

3 – Turn off notifications and schedule time for various apps.

By turning off notifications, you are once again reducing urges to check your phone at inappropriate times. A lot of us feel the need to check email throughout the day, and I get that.

But it we can schedule time in and force ourselves to only check email every 2 hours, we are creating a habit that keeps screen usage down.

Facebook is fun and entertaining for many, but by scheduling limited time (10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening) you are creating healthy boundaries with social influence that can start to wear on your mental health if you use it too much. Setting timers can be a huge help too!

4 – Deliberately put your phone away from you.

When able, keeping your phone physically away from your body and out of arms reach can make a big difference. You can create a central phone location for your whole family and encourage everyone to keep their phone there while you don’t need it.

This practice not only enforces less screen time, but it’s a visual for other family remembers to also be mindful of their device usage.

5 – Practice the C.A.N. Method Daily.

Mindful living through Consistency, Awareness, and Nutrition is the base of a healthy relationship with our phones.

By making the conscious commitment to consistently be mindful in our day to day life, with reminders set up throughout our homes, in our email, and our social media, we build a foundation for success.

And of course a nutritious life filled with healthy food, proper hydration, and plenty of sleep will make habit forming that much easier. Read more on making the C.A.N. method work for you.

What other tips do you have to use our phones more mindfully for a less stressful life?

Good luck and HAPPY MINDING!