7 Reasons Why You Should Put Your Phone Down

Have you ever gone onto Instagram, YouTube, or even LinkedIn with no particular purpose in mind, yet find yourself spending hours on end on those social media platforms without accomplishing anything? Do not worry, it happens to me too (a bit too often)!

After watching The Social Dilemma, a documentary about the untold story behind social media, I started to realise how powerless I was to its intended addictive nature. In essence, the documentary details how developers programme social media intending to make its users spend more time on the screen to increase the amount of time they can display advertisements.

Tristan Harris, Co-founder of the Centre for Humane Technology and former Design Ethicist at Google, used the example of a ‘tool’ to make this clearer. He said that a tool is something that patiently sits there and waits for you to use it next. Something stops becoming a tool when it makes you want to use it even when you are away from it.

"It's seducing you, it's manipulating you, it wants things from you. And we have moved away from having a tools based technology environment to an addiction and manipulation based technology environment... [Social media] has its own goals and it has its own means of pursuing them by using your psychology against you." - Tristan Harris

 Developers of social media play to our psychology to keep us glued to our screens because the longer we spend on them, the more revenue they generate from advertisements. These apps are basically programmed to get us hooked.

 I have always wondered why social media is always free for everyone to use despite the copious amounts of research and development that goes into its programming. This documentary helped me understand why this was the case: "If you are not paying for the product, then you are the product". Social media is not the product, our attention is. Social media platforms sell this attention to businesses that want to advertise their products. We are being played by robots into wasting our time.

Hopefully, by now you have realised that it might be time to take a break from your screen, but whether we like it or not, many of us are already addicted to our smart devices. Luckily, there are so many more added benefits to putting them down that I want to share with you in hopes of keeping you motivated to use them only when needed.

1. Being able to taste your own food and drinks 

When was the last time you really enjoyed a plate of chicken rice or even a morning coffee? Distracting ourselves with social media when we eat robs us of the sensory pleasures of indulging in good food. Try really focusing on the flavours of your meal; it has made my meals much more enjoyable and memorable. 

2. Being able to listen and understand our loved ones better

Our smart devices are a barrier that prevents us from connecting with the people we love. When we use our phones at the dinner table, we are essentially saying that whatever we are watching or doing is more important than the people who sit across from us. Chances are, the person sitting across you is much more interesting than whatever nonsense post is trying to steal your attention. Put the phone down, ask good questions, and have meaningful interactions. 

3. Being able to focus on the tasks at hand

WE ARE NOT BUILT TO MULTITASK. This is a fact. Instead, what we actually do when we think we are ‘multitasking’ is simultaneously doing several tasks badly (or at least not as well as if we were solely focused on that task). Do not let your phone interrupt the quality or quantity of work that you are capable of. 

4. Resting our eyes

Our eyes get tired enough from looking at the screens that we have to during working hours. Taking short 5-minute breaks from all screens to focus on faraway objects help to relax our strained eyes and make the remainder of the day spent looking at our screens much more bearable.

5. Standing out from the crowd

This is a funny one. Try walking to work and looking at the people around you. See how many of them are on their smart devices. Feel better about yourself because you have not fallen victim to the zombie apocalypse.

6. Being able to enjoy your surroundings better

Singapore is rapidly developing. Buildings get torn down and rebuilt every day. The other day I was on my regular route home when my brother pointed out an enormous outdoor garden installation near Botanic Gardens MRT station that I had never seen before. I could not believe that it was even there because I had never even seen it in construction! This highlighted my lack of awareness of my surroundings on the way home. Treasure the architectural footholds that ground your sense of home because before you know it, they might be gone.

7. Getting a better sleep

Just try not to use your smart device an hour before you sleep. You will notice the difference.

I am currently trying to battle my addiction to social media, and I can confidently tell you that it has been an arduous fight. However, if social media was programmed by humans, then it can be beaten by humans. Try your best to stay away from your screens today!