Addicted to your phone? I think I am...

Of course for many of use, myself included when we think of the word addiction, substance abuse comes to mind.  But as I was thinking about what to write about his month, I started to realize that perhaps I have an addiction to my phone.

While watching a series, I noticed I would grab my phone during slow scenes to check FB, IG, my email, Noom, SnapChat  and whatever other distractions I have on my phone. 

Then I actually went out to run a few errands and thought I left my phone at home.  The adrenalin ran through my body, wtf (why the face), was I that attached to my phone, really, seriously... got me thinking, can I live without it...

Even as I sat down to write this newsletter I decided to do it outside under the gazebo (enjoying our delicious weather while we have it), and my phone needed charging, so I left it inside.

Want to know what happened... I typed away WITHOUT distraction, and wow it is going much faster than normal as I am in the flow, vs being interrupted by message or things that can wait. 

Hhhhmmm, so I went in for lunch and brought my phone outside for lunch and boom, my focus was gone, now I have to get back to focus instead of the gazillion things to distract me on FB or IG.  Guess what, the phone is now back in the house far away from my reach.

Even though there is no official diagnosis of social media addiction (yet), it can be overused and have some serious repercussions to your physical and mental health.*3 

Here are a few negative repercussions that could occur, and some signs to look for.  Once again most will not become addicted (current study is US suggests 10% of Americans are addicted to social media*3).

• Increase reliance on social media as a way to cope with problems by escaping to another place so to speak
• Feeling restless when  you're not connected
• Think about social media, like what you are missing (FOMO) when not connected.
• Upset if you cannot connect (like Rogers network going down)
• Negative effects on your job, school due to time scrolling though your apps instead of working and studying)
• Low self-esteem as others lives look so much better than yours
• Anxiety or depression
• Disrupted sleep patterns, especially screen time before bed
• Decreased physical activity leading to physical ailments 
• Increased isolation or loneliness comparing to others
• Ignoring real relationships - ever see a family in a restaurant and everyone's on their cell phone?

• Make a point to see friends or family in person
• Leave your phone out of the bedroom.
• Set a logout (or set aside) time and stick to it.
• Delete apps from your smartphone.  You can access them from home on your personal computer, that will certainly limit your daytime use!
• Put phone on airplane mode during work hours, or when completing a project.
• Plan on a set amount of time spend on your phone daily and even specify the times and stick to it.
• Leave the phone while you go outside for example and get used to it not being on your person.
• Get out in nature.  If you need your camera on your phone great, just put the rest on airplane mode, and save data at the same time!