Just a mere few years ago, a world in which we are constantly equipped with smartphones that expose us to expansive bodies of information and connect us to billions of people seemed fictitious. Even within my short lifetime, many years of my childhood were spent void of smartphones.
Now we know that smartphones have quickly become so integral to our culture, they are essentially extensions of ourselves and we never leave home without them.
It goes without saying that this sudden technological advancement has created a major cultural and lifestyle shift, whether it be for better or worse. To better understand how my phone impacts my personal life, I spent a few weeks over the summer distant from it, frequently leaving home without it or significantly reducing my screen time.
Through this experience, I learned that our appraisals of smartphones as a positive outlet and a source of connection and information seem to sometimes be contradictory, leading me to believe that most people can benefit from creating distance from their devices.
Smartphones are credited with being an outlet and a means for escapism. Many spend long hours scrolling through social media to try to distract themselves from the stress in their lives. I personally used TikTok in this way, racking up a daily three or four hours a day consuming mostly futile content.
Although many—including myself—claim that social media helps them escape from their stressors, it seems as though social media just replaces stressors or may even create additional ones. For me, spending too much time on TikTok did not alleviate stress, but rather, it made me feel anxious that so much of my time was spent consuming low-effort, relatively meaningless content.
Additionally, the content of many social media platforms, such as disheartening news, is vastly negative. Sometimes, my personal worries can be seen as insignificant when compared to the content I come across trying to suppress them using social media.
Distancing myself from short-form content and social media not only reduced anxiety but also increased my attention span. Restricting my access to TikTok made it so that I can enjoy other forms of media like books or movies without supplementing my experience with social media breaks. Whether it be anxiety or boredom, restricting phone use helped me sit with and process emotions instead of repressing or distracting myself from them.
Smartphones are also credited with connecting people. Although there is truth to this statement, one may argue that online connection comes at the expense of being disconnected from others in real life. Often, I would find myself messaging people on the phone while spending time with friends or family. I would often fail to be present with loved ones to watch or entertain strangers on the internet, which hinders my most meaningful connections.
Sometimes, smartphones do not just impact existing in-person connections, but they may entirely prevent them. Instead of being forced to chat with a coworker in the breakroom or a stranger on the bus, we can avoid communication and go on our phones. This lack of in-person human connection can prevent people from experiencing a sense of connectedness.
Also, I would argue that although we praise smartphones for allowing for increased connections, connection without limitations or boundaries can be harmful. Smartphones have created a culture in which you must be constantly available. I always have felt the need to constantly check notifications, respond to text and read emails.
During the times I left my phone at home, my friends and family would become annoyed with me that I would not be able to answer texts or calls right away as it has become the normal thing to do so. I learned that most texts and notifications can wait. Distancing myself from my phone allowed me to be more present and mindful doing my daily activities.
Smartphones are also considered to be a valuable source for information. Although the internet grants us access to endless information and perspectives, it can also easily allow us to seek information that supports our beliefs, leading to confirmation bias.
This type of behavior can lead to the creation of extremist communities or internet bubbles in which people are constantly affirmed in their beliefs and never challenged. Or, if we are challenged within these communities, we can easily dismiss or ignore criticism.
Spending more time outside of online spaces prevents dismissal of criticism and forces other people to experience other perspectives. Also, it forces us to consider information that we may not have sought out in our potentially biased research. Talking to others, especially those who disagree with us, in an in-person setting may create an environment in which we are more willing to grant an understanding to an opposing side than if that person were to be behind a faceless profile.
Overall, distancing myself from my phone has been a positive experience. I have felt as though I could be more mindful and present in my daily life. I am not stumbling across new things to be worried about, nor do I feel obligated to respond to messages all day. I feel like I am living life the way it was intended to be lived.
Phones have been revolutionary to our culture and lifestyles, however, sometimes it can be beneficial to step away to determine if their impact is a positive or negative one.
