What was the first thing you did this morning? And the last thing you did before going to sleep? And do you even do it while you're on the toilet? If you answered "check my phone" to any of those, you're not alone. According to a survey by Innocent Smoothies, the London based drinks company, we check our phones 200 times a day on average and 50% of us prefer to communicate via technology than in person.
Stepping away from your smartphone can be scary but it doesn't have to be. Here are three things to do instead of checking your phone:
Get creative
A lot of the most popular apps we use actually facilitate creativity but the way we use them often blinds us from this. There's more to Instagram than selfies, photographers (professional and amateur) both use the photo-sharing app to express their creative side. And YouTube has enabled independent filmmakers to share their unfunded and original work with audiences around the world.
Instead of passively consuming the abilities of all the other app users, let their work inspire you to create something of your own. Get a disposable camera so that you're not tempted to obsess over applying the most Insta-worthy filter and take pictures of the things which catch your eye, or go outdoors and sketch or paint your surroundings.
Organise a tech-free lunch
The more time we spend online, the less comfortable we are in communicating in person. Despite your thousand plus Facebook friends, how many times have you spoken to your close ones face to face recently, without interrupting your conversation to take several snaps on your smartphone or tweet about how much of a fabulous time you're having?
Get your friends together for lunch and have everyone place their phones in a bowl as soon as they arrive. If they're sceptical about the whole idea, organise some games to make the whole thing more fun from the outset. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't go to plan or if everyone isn't able to last the whole lunch. Try again, adjusting the amount of 'off the grid' time or making it competitive by awarding prizes to your friends who do manage it.
Keep a diary
Log into Facebook and the social network will ask you: "What's on your mind?" But how often do you answer that question honestly and uninhibited in private? Our social media persona is an extension of our self but depending on the platform, it can force us into presenting a distorted version of ourselves.
Let your thoughts loose on paper, you won't be influenced to express yourself based on what others might think of what you write, or be restricted to a 140 word character limit. Penning your unfiltered thoughts can be liberating and has been proven to improve our health. When you feel the need to rant about the inconsiderate passengers on your commute or your frustrations with a friend, reach for your pen and paper instead of your phone. You'll feel better for doing it and the time you spend reflecting on the situation is likely to lead you to solutions.
