Let’s talk about things you can do that can help you cut down the time you spend on your phone and help you wean off. Like babies, we are about to try some solid food here!

It is a straight-up truth and the sooner you realize, the better, that the time spent on your phone is killing your productivity. Most people do realize it but keep doing the same thing anyway. Another deep truth is that time spent on your phone is killing your own creative ability and wasting your time that should be spent on profound things that can help bring it back.

Guess the first thing you can do is to make a voluntary decision to put down your phone, better yet, uninstall the apps that distract you. Trust me, you aren’t losing out on anything.

This article is not meant to give you a list of other to-do’s instead of using your phone, so I’m not going to give you a list of what you can or should. The truth is, you yourself have in mind, so many things that you have wanted to do and yet, so much of your time has been lost to over-usage of the phone. I bet many of you are reminded of those things that you wanted to do, as you read this. So put down your phone and begin doing them. If you are having trouble coming up with something to do, give yourself some time off social media for a few days, a week would be good. It’s hard, but it’s going to get easier as your progress toward the end of the week. If you decide to do that, then you have no need to read this article any further. Your brain is a remarkable and creative organ. It will figure out the things you were to do. But I can give you some pointers. So, here we go.

READ Maybe?

Naomi Zacharias shared something in one of her talks which I think is crucial,
She said, “It is very important to stay informed.” It cannot be emphasized enough in today’s day and age. But hold up, this is not a contrast. I’m not suggesting that you go back to your phone apps to read the news and get informed. We’re are going to go the hard way. Solid food, remember? Make an effort to be profoundly informed about the issues you care – Read a book about it, Read full news blogs written by Acclaimed journalists and media companies or at least pick up the newspaper. You will have to force yourself to read because when you read, the brain processes the information, imaginations are sparked, and profoundness and deep thinking develop. Some of you may have cringed at this first pointer, But what if I told you that Bill Gates reads about 50 books/year. That translates to about 1 book per week. And I bet he spends 0% of his time on Social media, of course he has people who manage it for him, but do you see the bigger picture. Get off the junk food of social media and try some solid reading. This point in time feels just about right to share a quote by Samuel Rutherford.

Take pains while you Live…

Samuel Rutherford

I think it is applicable in all situations in life. With everything on our fingertips, we are a generation which has forgotten what it is to take pains and struggle. So, take pains while you are alive! Reading is a hobby that has to be inculcated and once it’s done, you won’t regret it. It expands your thinking in all of its domains. To read, is the best advice I can give you for your life.

Don’t do it for the gram!

If you have a talent or a skill that you were using to gain influence on social media, start doing it without the goal of putting it up there. It wouldn’t be long before you will realize that all your motivation to use this skill wasn’t there because of your love for the skill, but for the love of the Gram/Twitter or FB. That’s a shallow reason to be doing it. But it’s not too late. Do your thing, don’t put it up and do it anyway. See your art for what it truly is. When the background noise and excitement of social media shuts off and loses its place in your mind, you will start seeing things in the way you hadn’t seen them before. You will see finer details and understand concepts better that will help you get better with your art. We have to learn to do things for any reason other than showing off or to please/impress others. Our art/skill/talent has to have a greater purpose than to gain likes and comments. I’ve experienced this and I remember feeling drained. It is time to remember that they have been given with a purpose to serve others and not self.

Called your Mom yet?!

As soon as one puts down their phone, the full scope of the time-usage that we have is unveiled. The best and most meaningful things you can do is to spend time with your loved ones. We all hide behind screens and it seems to have fulfilled all our needs. But it is far greatly important to build and nurture strong human relationships. Its something worth investing our time in. Volunteering to help people in need is another thing you can do with your time.

Oops, when was this last due??

Put down your phone and you will remember a thousand things you have been putting on hold and finish doing them. Make it a habit to think about the tasks you need to do before picking up your phone and soon you won’t have time to pick it up at all. Stay organised.

No one needs a guide or a rule book to tell them what they ought to do if not use the phone. Our brains are far far more capable than we think and the more you spend your time on social media, the more you are causing those capabilities to have less and less effect. So, put it down. It’s worth all the time and work you have yet to do for yourself and others.

Read – Stay Informed – Build Relationships – Stay Organised – Act and Serve – Live because you exist even when your Instagram profile doesn’t.

Cover image:

http://www.scienceonthenet.eu/articles/creativity-and-human-brain/ernesto-carafoli/2019-01-14