Technology has invaded our lives more than ever before. In fact, research shows that the average person checks their phone 100 times per day, and over 50% of smartphone users check their phones in bed.
While technology is certainly a powerful tool, being present with technology isn’t a healthy practice either. According to a survey conducted by Pew, nearly half of Americans report that they feel “addicted” to technology. This is more than double the number of adults that said they were addicted to alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs.
To keep up with technology, we have to learn how to use it effectively while still managing its impact on our real life. The key lies in using mindful tech practices.
Mindful tech practices are the mental and physical techniques that you can use to balance screen time and real life connections. For example, if you're trying to balance your social media usage, the first step is to look at how many times a day you actually need to use them.
STEP 1: Understand the Impact of Screen Time
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by how much time we spend on devices like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.
While technology certainly has its benefits, the issue is not necessarily the amount of time you spend on screens, but rather how you manage your use.
For example, the average Facebook user spends 8 hours and 25 minutes a month scrolling through newsfeeds. So if you scroll through a newsfeed 50 times a day, you’re spending 200 hours a month on Facebook.
STEP 2: Look at the Value of Social Media
Looking at how much time we spend on social media is helpful, but what’s even more important is the value that we get from it.
There’s a reason why the average Facebook user spends an average of 40 minutes a day on Facebook itself.
Social media is actually very different from email and phone calls. These three forms of communication all involve some type of written or verbal exchange. Yet, only 20% of Facebook users use it to send messages.
This is because social media is a passive medium. People don’t actively communicate with others on Facebook unless they’ve posted something.
If you look at your Facebook newsfeed, you might be surprised to see that the vast majority of interactions occur passively rather than actively.
Facebook’s messaging system is another good example of this phenomenon. People are more likely to use the “reply” button when responding to posts.
In comparison, Facebook likes are the most active form of communication, with only 2% of likes resulting in a direct message.
STEP 3: Use Social Media for What It’s Best Used For
Using social media for its intended purpose is important.
Instead of looking at the number of posts you make or the total amount of time you spend on Facebook, look at the value you create.
Take a break from the screens