If you are like me and the other ~316 million smartphone users1in America today, then you likely find yourself scrolling on your mobile device often. In fact, you may have found this article from a scrolling session. Despite your perception of smartphones and social media, they are a part of our lives and will continue to be present in our routines. With this in mind, we must consider the ways in which we find ourselves addicted to our devices and the boundaries we can set in place to foster a healthy relationship with our phones.
The word 'addicted' may sound extreme when talking about our smartphones, but 2 billion people face a form of digital addiction and spend an average of 6.7 hours on their phones daily.2Some researchers even compare this addiction to smoking. In Faith Driven Investor's recent podcast, they discuss the impact of technology in our daily lives. You may be surprised to know that today, there are more cellphones and iPads than people3. We cannot escape technology, but we can build healthy boundaries that will allow us to be intentional with our time, focus, and digital consumption.
As a smartphone user, we must be aware that there are algorithms developed to entice us to keep scrolling as consumers. It's no coincidence you see ads from recent searches pop up on your feed. Your smartphone is truly smart. However, we can be smarter. We have the ability to take control of smartphone usage. We can consume without being consumed.
Ways to Consume Rather Than Be Consumed:
1. Set screen limits on your device. This is usually a simple setting change that will help you to limit the amount of time you spend on particular apps.
2. Switch your phone's display to grayscale to make scrolling less addictive.
3. Consider taking a break from particular apps that seem to capture most of your time and attention.
While it seems like we've always had devices in our hands, all this technology is still relatively new. We are just beginning to learn the impact that smartphones and social media have on our health. Just because we may not know every repercussion of using digital devices, does not mean they are not affecting the way we live. As with anything in our lives, it's important to monitor and regulate our screen-time consumption.
Ultimately, as smartphone users and social media consumers, we must understand the multiple facets of the technology that we use. Technology is a great tool to connect with others and learn new skills. Technology can also be incredibly addicting and steal precious time. We must evaluate where our relationship with technology lies to better serve our families, our careers, and even ourselves.
If you would like to continue learning about the rise of digital devices and their impact on society, please listen to Faith Driven Investor's podcast available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Sources:
Clinical Psychology Review: Volume 92, March 2022
Disclosures:
Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Sources cited are not affiliated with or endorsed by LPL Financial and Harvest Point® Wealth Management.