Is technology your master or servant?

In order to ensure mental well-being, it is essential to examine the link between the epidemics of anxiety and depression and dependency on smartphones, social media and internet use. It really is time for you to examine your relationship with your phone/device and see if it is helping you or hindering you.

As you are reading this online it may seem ironic to dispense advice about the importance of not spending too much time on your device! However, by analysing the way you use the device and your relationship to it you build awareness and are then able to make a choice to use the device to enhance and improve your life rather than letting it diminish your ability to be fully present in your precious life.

If you find yourself being constantly distracted by your device then you are no longer present but constantly at the whim of the next email, tweet or notification. Our devices can serve us well: having information at our fingertips; having a phone on you when your car breaks down; being able to reach other people easily and to maintain close bonds with those we love no matter where they live in the world. In addition, the educational opportunities technology opens up have never been greater. These are some of the very real positives about living in the digital age. However, as with anything, there needs to be a balance and if this is not reached then the pros can soon turn into cons. Striking this balance is easier said than done due to the all-pervasive nature of smartphones which often serve as alarm clocks, cameras, calendars and personal organisers not to mention the thousand and one apps for this, that and everything else. No wonder we find ourselves reaching for the smartphone even when we have decided not to.

Why do we keep checking our smartphones? Research shows that we are literally like a rat in a wheel and the next email/tweet/like is our reward. Our ancestors were hunter-gatherers and when they managed to secure food they would experience a rush of dopamine which activated their mental reward system. Usually, following this they rested and were satisfied until the next time they became hungry and needed to hunt or forage again. As a result of this lifestyle, there were hours between each dopamine hit. Nowadays however, we literally have seconds before we are looking for our next hit and as a result the human brain now has a lower concentration span than a goldfish! In the year 2000, our concentration span was 10 seconds, this has now decreased to 8 seconds whereas for a goldfish it is 9 seconds! Statistics like this demand our attention – if of course, we can concentrate for long enough!

The situation has become so pronounced that when you look around, get on a bus or go for a coffee most people have their heads down and are scrolling on their phones. It is likely that a lot of people are working or they may be scrolling through social media or even more likely flicking between the two. The lines between our work and personal lives have never been more blurred with many of us literally never switching off; the phone goes to bed with us and many of us check it before doing anything else first thing in the morning. Needless to say, this is having a detrimental effect on our sleeping patterns, self-esteem and ability to cultivate a calm mind. University of Illinois Professor of Psychology, Alejandro Lleras, found that mobile device addiction is associated with depression and anxiety especially in young people who are growing up in the digital age and are highly reliant on it to be socially accepted.

As in so many areas of self-improvement, awareness is key, so observing your own thoughts and behaviour regarding your phone/device usage is important. What can you do if you do feel yourself checking your phone more often than you are comfortable with? It is a good start to be selective with your ‘screen time’ so, rather than mindlessly flicking through TV channels or surfing without intent and purpose identify what it is you want to achieve. Is the TV programme one you really want to see? Are you on the internet looking for specific information? While nobody really did get ‘square eyes’ from watching too much TV, it has certainly played a significant role in hindering the true potential of many people. And the internet is same.

In order to make sure your use of your smartphone/PC or iPad is serving you well consider some of the following tips:

• Turn off all notifications and only check your emails at certain points throughout the day. Decide on these times and stick to them.
• Choose a time that you use your phone for personal use, when you want to call friends or go on social media. Stick to this time and make sure all Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp alerts are turned off and only checked when you are on the phone for social purposes. If you find yourself scrolling make sure you are mindfully scrolling.
• Use an old-fashioned alarm clock to wake you up in the mornings. This will stop you from checking your phone first thing in the morning. If you feel that having notifications turned off provides a sufficient safety net from checking then continue to use the phone as an alarm clock. Likewise, if you are on holiday and taking a lot of photos, turn the phone to aeroplane mode so that it becomes a camera and nothing else.
• Have at least two device free hours each day – times where your phone is not within reach. This will help you to resist the constant need to check it.
• If you use your phone for work make sure to identify a time in the evening when you decide to stop checking it or emailing clients and stick to it. At least two hours before sleep is a good time.
• When you are spending time with family and friends have the respect and love for them to resist checking your phone and don’t take calls from other people unless it is important or necessary for arrangements.
• Train yourself to resist the urge to check your emails/notifications except at the appointed times.