Baskadia

There is hope! You most definitely can gain control over your

addiction.

The related information above was not meant to disturb you or

cause you to look at the world in a pessimistic way. You should

be optimistic about your outlook. Humans got themselves into

this position, and with some discipline, can get themselves out!

The information has merely been provided to urge the

seriousness of the issue and provide societal context so the

reader can understand exactly how insidious and wide-spread

phone addiction truly is.

The information is intended to bring the jarring reality to the

surface so that you can be motivated to bring more conscious

awareness to your every-day actions and change your habits.

Too often, because of the way the world is now set up, people

brush aside these concerns because it has become such a main￾stream way to live life.

As described above, it is considered “the norm” to spend

almost half of the day looking at some type of screen. People

don’t consider this to be a serious issue, but that is because the issue itself has taken root in so many people that it is hard to

see the forest through the trees.

Now that it has been established that not only is phone

addiction a very real and extremely detrimental phenomenon

but that it is something that needs immediate attention and a

communal effort to solve, the real work can being. Becoming

informed is the first step in addressing the issue of phone

addiction and starting the healing process.

Starting New Hobbies

So you have gotten this far into the material - this is no easy

feat, and you should be proud of yourself for committing to

increasing the wellness level of your life. You have come a long

way from what you may have arrived at this reading originally.

You have learned a lot.

Now to address the question that must be on your mind: “What

am I supposed to do next?”

The short answer is this - get to know yourself!

Discover the things that make you happy, or that can take your

mind off of feelings of anxiety and depression. Re-visit hobbies that you once used to have the time for but somehow

previously couldn’t find enough hours in the day to pursue

fully. You will find that once you commit to overcoming your

phone addiction, you will be trying not to use your devices as

much as you used to.

This will leave you with plenty of free time to develop hobbies!

Hobbies are a wonderful way to relieve stress, free your mind

from overwhelming thoughts, and hone in on a skill that can

enhance your life. Hobbies can become very healthy habits that

you can enjoy practicing throughout your life.

Hobbies will become a healthy habit. This habit will gradually

replace the toxic habit of constantly being on your devices.

Habits are behaviors that become ingrained into your daily

practices by repeating them consistently. Some habits are

developed unconsciously - this is exactly how something like

phone addiction develops.

Healthy habits, such as hobbies, can be developed consciously

and intentionally. These are the best type of habits to develop,

as they stimulate your mind and have the ability to rebuild your

confidence and sense of trust in yourself. You can change your life, if only by starting with something as carefree as picking up

an engaging hobby.

There are so many different types of hobbies you can discover!

Some people who are more academically minded would rather

spend time reading or perhaps writing, to keep the mind busy

and the intellect sharp. Other people who are more artistically

inclined enjoy activities such as sketching, painting, or interior

designing. Different types of crafts such as crocheting, knitting,

wood-working, making collages and vision boards, or even

baking can be wonderful options.

It is especially soothing to work with your hands to create

something. Experts agree that working with physical materials

to create something can be very relaxing to the mind. These

actions can not only be conducive to a more relaxed lifestyle,

but they can also benefit you in secondary ways.

Picking up a dedicated hobby and creating something can lead

to a promising career in the future. You are not only passing

time, as you would be scrolling on your phone or watching a

movie, but you are building a skill set. When you are using a

device and absorbing content created by other people, you are engaging in passively interacting with the world. This lulls you

into a state of mind that is parallel with sleeping.

However, when you are putting effort into doing something

that is changing constantly, you are engaging in actively

interacting with the world. This kind of interaction is like when

you are focused on writing something, or making something.

This level of concentration fosters something that is referred to

as a “flow state.” This is when you are completely immersed in

the experience and don’t even notice the time passing.

When you are actively interacting with the world, not noticing

time passing is a good thing. When you are passively

interacting with the world, you may not notice time pass either

but this is more negative because you are not doing anything -

it is almost like you are asleep with your eyes open.

Developing a hobby can endow you with the necessary life skills

and revitalize your energy. These hobbies can provide you with

an option to create an income for yourself and create a

business. You will feel like a new person after you start to

develop these kinds of habits because you will find a new sense

of power and be proud of your abilities and talents.

Deleting Addictive Apps

It would be very out of touch to say that you will never touch

your phone again. Of course, some people live off-grid and

have no connection with the modern world. It is possible, but it

is not likely that this is a viable option for everyone in the

modern world.

You will have to interact with your phone at some point. Due to

the nature of the way the world is set up, your phone is a tool

that you will have to use throughout the day. The goal however

is to ensure that you have a healthy relationship with this tool

and do not become dependent upon it to cope and get through

the day.

After reading all of the ominous statistics about phone use and

addiction, you may be worried. This is not a cause for panic! In

truth, you are aiming to integrate yourself in a way where you

can use your phone for the task at hand that you need to use it

for without becoming a slave to your impulses.

You have the information - now you need to put that

knowledge into action. After reading this information, you

should have a general understanding of what type of social

media applications are addictive and what makes something easy to become addicted to. You have to learn discipline and

how to police your phone activity.

There will not be someone who can help you better than you

can help yourself. Take responsibility for yourself and your

addiction, and put matters in your own hands - literally, put

your phone in your hands. Now, find the strength and the

willpower to delete all your addictive apps!

You can always re-download these apps if you feel better about

your problem further down the line in your recovery process,

so don’t be alarmed. You will not be losing anything, although it

may seem that way at first. You will only be gaining more

control over your mind and your impulses.

It is necessary, especially at the early stages of your healing and

behavior modification routine, that you immediately delete any

addictive social media apps.

The more often you interact with these apps, the more likely

you will cave in and use them. When you use your phone for

simple tasks, even just knowing and being aware that the apps

are easily accessible on your home screen, will tempt you. Plus,

while the apps are still downloaded to your devices, they can potentially send you alerts and notifications, which will tempt

you even more

You may swear off social media on the first day, adamant that

you will never return to be controlled by that out-of-control

impulse. And yet somehow by lunchtime the next day you

might consider taking a peek at your direct messages. Just for a

second, you may say to yourself, a tiny peek wouldn’t hurt.

However, giving in to this impulse will become the beginning of

the end of your success.

Don’t do this to yourself! Cut out the excess, trim the fat, and

delete these addictive apps! You are much better off, and you

will feel a load off your shoulders once you do. Your digital

space will also be less cluttered, which means so will your

mind. You will be impressed by your dedication, and it will

propel you down the path to overcoming addiction.

Putting the Phone Away

As stated earlier in the text, one of the major keys to tamping

down your excessive device usage is by simply putting it away.

This honestly the action that will take you the least effort to do.

If you are not around your phone, you will not be tempted to

use it as frequently.

If you are truly committed to beating cell phone addiction, then

you have to substitute the time you normally would be looking

at a screen with something else. This “something else” can be

anything else that does not involve a digital device. It is

recommended that you commit seriously and be honest with

yourself. This is the only way you can overcome nomophobia.

Keep your phone in your purse or your bag instead of in your

pocket. Not only will you have a decreased chance of damaging

or losing your precious device, but now you will not be

constantly distracted by its presence.

Similarly, when you are at work, turn your phone on “do not

disturb” and keep it in your locker or cubby. The same advice

can be applied to studying or when you are in class. You will

increase your productivity, and have a clear head for a day at

work or task at hand.

You may argue that you need to be available in case something

randomly happens to your loved ones. In the case of

emergencies, this silencing feature ensures phone calls will be

received if you receive more than one from the same caller.

A very important point of advice is also to keep your phone in a

completely different room than the one you are sleeping in.

Very successful entrepreneurs and celebrities follow this

practice sternly. This is key to getting a good night’s sleep and

resetting your mentality. Many healthy residual side effects are

produced by leaving your phone in another room.

One reason to keep your phone out of the bedroom is so that

when your alarm goes off in the morning, you will be forced to

get out of bed. This is a good motivational trick “early birds”

use to get ready for the day. You are more likely to stay awake

and start your morning routine if you force yourself to leave

the comfort of being under your covers and walk the distance

to your alarm.

Another great reason for leaving your phone in another room

before you go to bed is so that you are not tempted to use it

before you go to sleep or in the middle of the night. Scientists

have shown that the blue light that is emitted from device

screens can delay the brain’s ability to produce melatonin,

which is a hormone that helps you fall asleep. Specialists

recommend that you stop using devices an hour or two before

you are ready to sleep.