Most people are aware of when it’s appropriate (or inappropriate) to use their smartphones, such as in meetings or job interviews, or on a first date. There’s a time and place to use devices and, more importantly, times to put them away. But when our smartphone usage interferes with our health and relationships with others, that’s when it becomes a problem. There’s nothing wrong with using the technology available to us. I’m not saying we should get rid of smartphones and cancel our WiFi. Going without our smartphones allowed us to connect more with each other and share the experience together. But after a few days, we all realized how rare it is to fully disconnect like that. At first, everyone felt anxious and uncomfortable about not being able to check in online. We were in the middle of the Maasai Mara and literally had zero access to cell service or the internet. This past summer, I took nine employees on a voluntourism trip to Kenya. While technology can be a useful tool for keeping us connected, we have to be careful with when and how we use it. Instead of getting real face time with the people in our lives, we often hide behind a screen.

The effects of smartphone addiction don’t stop there our overuse of technology has completely transformed how we communicate and interact with other people. This increase in ADD-like symptoms has been linked to the overuse of smartphones. Dopamine reinforces (and motivates) behaviour that makes us feel good and, in turn, can create addiction.Īt the same time, having access to a constant flow of information has all but destroyed attention spans: a few years ago, a widely publicized study proved goldfish can focus longer than we can. It’s all thanks to dopamine, the feel-good chemical that gets released every time you do something you enjoy, like eating your favourite meal or getting a hundred likes on your latest Instagram post. The brain on “smartphone” is the same as the brain on cocaine: we get an instant high every time our screen lights up with a new notification. We don’t just use our smartphones for everything - we rely on them. We turn to our devices for everything - from waiting in line at the grocery store or reading the news, to filing our taxes or controlling the thermostat. Now, they’re GPS, cameras, gaming consoles, health trackers, and the list goes on. With that, we present you some ways by which you can get rid of your smartphone addiction.Cell phones used to just be communication tools. While a smartphone is an essential daily gadget in today’s world, it’s not something that one should be addicted to. Today, there is actually a term for those who live with the fear of being without their smartphones – Nomophobia.įor those who feel like they are too dependent on their smartphones, maybe it’s time to take a break and start paying attention towards the better things.

The rest is history, and smartphones are now an essential part of our daily lives. And with the 2007 launch of the iPhone, phones started being viewed as mini-computers and not just devices one could make texts and calls with. BlackBerry launched its line of smart devices which changed the concept of what phones could do.

Then smartphones came along, and things changed.

Only a few years ago, feature phones ruled the roost and having internet connectivity on the phone was considered a luxury. Worse, a lot of those people would rather look into their phones than have a conversation with a real person. Most people are glued to their smartphones all the time.

Apps to stop internet addiction for mac