Are we addicted to our phones?

Are smart phones becoming part of our body?

Ding, I just got a text. Do I wait and finish the sentence or thought that I am typing for a blog post, or do I check my phone? Nine times out of ten, I check my phone. Sometimes I actually scroll through my Facebook newsfeed until my fingers hurt. Or I find a game app to pass the time or app to get me through traffic or the one that tracks battery use, or the app that has a new modified way to chat with my friends... The crazy world of apps gets updated almost every minute, and each and every one looks wildly attractive and seems useful. I have talked to a few of my friends and family members and they all responded that they would also spend hours on their phones instead of having a human interaction or finishing stuff hat has to be done. I remember in 6th grade getting my Motorola SLVR phone because I needed a way to call my parents in order to get picked up after Math Team practice. It had no texting and no internet, just a regular cell phone to call my parents or friends when I wanted to talk. Fast forward 4 years, I decided to try out the iPhone 4. My entire world changed. I could not focus on one specific task without checking my phone if I had a text or a new Facebook message.

A few weeks ago, I dropped my phone and it broke. I was very distraught. I had to survive a whole five days without my phone until I came home and could get a new one. Those five days were some of the hardest days of my life. Why are we so addicted to our phones? I decided to test out a theory: I turned off the Wi-Fi on my phone and decided to not check my text messages, I only used it to make calls like I did with my Motorola SLVR all those years ago. All of a sudden I got so much more free time, I became more productive and I could focus more on specific tasks. I did go on Facebook and checked my texts through my computer, so I did not deprive myself of social media. But I chose when I went on it and when I focused on studying for an exam or programming my Artificial Intelligence homework, etc.

I have turned back on the Wi-Fi on my phone, but I still keep it on silent. Now, I actually check it less and I attribute my new found freedom to my week without a phone and the week of using it without Wi-Fi. Although a phone is now an essential part of our lives, wouldn’t it be nice if you could walk around without accidentally bumping into someone texting or playing Angry Birds? I implore you to try and do the “no phone for a week” challenge where you only use your phone to call and see how much it changes your view on the world and how much free time you would have, I know it helped me a lot.