“I Can’t Stop Checking My Phone”: A Memoir
By: Lindsey Hamilton ‘22
“I would write a real memoir, but I’m too busy documenting my life on Snapchat,” and other symptoms of phone addition (w/ helpful tips on how to STOP).
Nomophobia. While it’s not quite a real word yet, it describes a very real and very scary trend: the fear of being without a mobile device.
And chances are, you have it.
Good news? You’re not alone. Bad news? Yes, it really is that common.
If you…
a) Check your phone for no particular reason during meals or studying or class
b) Often go to check the time then emerge from Instagram ten minutes later with no bearing on neither time nor space
or c) Routinely check your email, Snapchat, Instagram, another email, and Facebook only to realize you just checked all of them thirty seconds ago and forgot
…you probably have it.
The same device that seems to facilitate talking to friends and increased productivity is doing just the opposite, studies have found.
While none seem to be in agreement whether cell phone use has crossed the line from time-consuming tool to an addictive reward system just yet, many seem to think that the possibility of widespread cell phone addiction could be very real, very soon.
A little spooked that you’re too attached to your phone baby? Here are a few tips to stop the cycle:
1. Find the limit
By deliberately spacing out when you check your phone notifications, you can still feel connected to the world wide webs while beginning to break bad habits. On average, people will check their phone every 15 minutes or less, even if they haven’t received any notifications.
Next time you feel the urge to check your phone, try waiting for at least a full fifteen minutes, eventually bumping that time up to 30 minutes or however long you’d like to be phone free.
2. Out of sight out of mind
This is true with a lot of things: most of the time, if you don’t see it, you won’t think about it. Stashing your phone in your backpack, under a book, or giving it to a friend will keep the thought of checking for messages out of your head.
Would definitely recommend this one for class…even if it’s your boring GE that “doesn’t really matter.” Here’s a quick calculation:
If there are 30 school weeks in a year, and about 16 hours (16 units) of class per week, and USC’s tuition without financial aid is $57,256 per year….
(57256)/(30 x 16) = $119.28 per hour of class. That’s $2 a minute. Use your time wisely!
3. Delete apps
If you don’t have it, you won’t use it. Deleting unnecessary apps is a great way to rid your phone of distractions. Think: apps = notifications. We all have that one game we haven’t played in forever that keeps on sending us reminders that our abandoned digital animals are hungry.
If you don’t need it for school, productivity, being social, or any other essential functions, trash it!
4. Go analog
Record players, Polaroids… it seems like everything else is going analog. Ease some of your technological separation anxiety by using more ~primitive~ forms of technology to fill in for your phone.
Try taking pictures with digital cameras or eco-friendly disposable cameras — be sure to recycle them properly! Additionally, taking notes of things you think of during the day or want to google later will both help you focus your thoughts and stay in the moment.
5. Ring-a-ling
I’m sure I’m not the only one who has their phone on silent 99.99% of the time. However, this often does more harm than good when it comes to phone addiction. Not knowing when we receive notifications makes us check in fear of missing something…all the time.
By turning on AND TRUSTING the ringer, we can avoid unnecessarily checking and getting distracted by something else. (Cue: “I wonder how that person I talked to for two minutes at freshman orientation is doing?? Better check their snap story.”)
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