How nomophobic are you?
The other day I forgot my smartphone at home. I had forgotten to charge it the night before so plugged it in while I showered. Alas, as I boarded the train I realised... no podcasts for me. But also, no texts, emails, Instagram, Twitter or Sudoku game. It was a very long day.
The smartphone was introduced to the world by Steve Jobs 10 years ago. Since then it has become part of our daily lives. According to a survey by ReportLinker, nearly half of American's check their smartphones as soon as they wake up... and just before they go to sleep. 1 in 10 even wake up and check it during the night.
We have become so dependent on our phones, that we can even suffer from separation anxiety. Nomophobia is the fear of being without your mobile device and as we grow more reliant on our smartphones, this anxiety could become a big issue in the future.
Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCB, BCN, of the Interactive Media Institute says that by turning off technology periodically, individuals can become comfortable with periods of disconnectedness.
So why not start a Shutoff Sunday and disconnect for the day? Or introduce your digital detox in baby steps by turning off push notifications and leave your phone in a different room at night. Slowly increase your efforts until you're ready to try being offline for a full day.
The smartphone was introduced to the world by Steve Jobs 10 years ago. Since then it has become part of our daily lives. According to a survey by ReportLinker, nearly half of American's check their smartphones as soon as they wake up... and just before they go to sleep. 1 in 10 even wake up and check it during the night.
We have become so dependent on our phones, that we can even suffer from separation anxiety. Nomophobia is the fear of being without your mobile device and as we grow more reliant on our smartphones, this anxiety could become a big issue in the future.
Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCB, BCN, of the Interactive Media Institute says that by turning off technology periodically, individuals can become comfortable with periods of disconnectedness.
So why not start a Shutoff Sunday and disconnect for the day? Or introduce your digital detox in baby steps by turning off push notifications and leave your phone in a different room at night. Slowly increase your efforts until you're ready to try being offline for a full day.
Picture Credit - Pixabay |
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