Ever since 2007, when smartphones first became a reality, they have slowly crept their way into almost every corner of our lives. What was once an incredible new technology has become an everyday standard of the majority of the globe. While this has brought many good things, such as improving daily communication and navigation, it has also created new problems. 

Recent studies found that the average American spends around 4 hours on their phone daily, with those numbers likely higher for younger generations! This is mainly because the things we do on our phones (social media, online shopping, texting friends) all give us a little boost of dopamine, the hormone your body releases when you feel satisfied or rewarded.

Basically, we are constantly seeking these dopamine boosts throughout the day, leading us to spend an excessive amount of time staring at screens. To combat this, many people have started to do something called a Digital Detox. Here’s how one of these “detoxes” works and how you might be able to do one yourself. 

• Start by learning how much time you actually spend on your phone each day. Usually, you can find this information in the settings of your phone or with a specific application. 

• After determining your average daily usage, pick the number of hours you want to remove from your screen schedule! Some people aim for a single hour each day, while others gradually try to wean off the screen. 

• If you need to, invest in a phone safe to keep your phone out of your hands or find a way to block yourself from specific time-wasting applications! 

How often do you use your phone, and what do you use it for?