By Nicholas Grant
The average North American spends a staggering 2.5 months a year on their phone. So says a 2024 survey of tech habits.
Meanwhile a 2023 Yale University study of 5,000 young people found that excessive use of tech leads to stress, anxiety and depression, among other things. Statistics Canada reports that youth aged 16 to 21 reported those who followed screen time guidelines were more likely to engage in activities like exercise, social activities like clubs and groups and reported better quality sleep.
It’s clear that we are using too much technology and that this is bad for us.
Can a digital detox help?
While it’s not a cure-all solution to improve mental well-being, data suggests that engaging in a digital detox may improve mental well-being and health outcomes for those that give it a try.
A digital detox doesn’t necessarily mean ditching the phone altogether, but it’s to become more intentional with our tech use, and to replace the mindless scrolling with a more deliberate relationship with your phone: Only using it to perform necessary tasks.
While student life and technology are intertwined, it’s unreasonable to expect them to stop the use of technology all together. But here are some steps that you can take if you feel that your use of social media and technology has gone too far. Or if you simply want to develop better habits to replace your screen time.
Start with a small step
You don’t need to quit everything at once. In fact that’s probably a bad idea. People in your life might be curious as to why you “fell off the grid.” You can start by identifying a single app, one that you think is taking up too much of your time, and delete it. If that’s too drastic, then create a time limit for your use in a day, and just simply put it down afterwards.
Create rules around your tech use
Here’s a simple one: No screens an hour before bed. Research shows that backlit screens stimulate the brain, which affects people’s ability to fall asleep quickly. With apps on your phone constantly seeking to give you that next dopamine rush that triggers addictive tendencies in the brain, sometimes it is better to put it down before you get too carried away scrolling or playing games. You can also try putting the phone away during meals, as studies have suggested that scrolling while eating may negatively impact the way we eat, and what foods we eat.
Find a new habit
Whenever you find yourself reaching for that phone, move to another activity you’ve been meaning to do more, and use that as a trigger to do it. For instance, when you feel like scrolling on TikTok, maybe use that cue as a reason to pick up a book instead, or even go on a walk. There are countless things to do instead of scroll, find one that you want to do and replace the habit with something that will benefit you.
Turn on do not disturb
For many of us, a simple notification from our phone can derail us from a task. Sometimes even things that aren’t pressing may get in the way, and next thing you know you forgot what you were doing and that valuable time has now been wasted scrolling along in passive entertainment. Consider activating the do-not-disturb feature while studying, watching TV or reading.
Unfortunately, it may be impossible to completely detach from social media and technology. You may find some benefit by replacing these habits with more productive ones that feed your brain, and yes, social media is a part of most people’s daily social lives, and yes that does make it hard to disconnect.
It all starts with making small changes in your life, and it’s important to identify and perform an audit into how we are spending our time.
If you’re a person who wants to distance themselves from too much tech use, you can start with trying these steps, and start on a journey of self improvement.
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