A Common Sense Media report highlights that teens and tweens in the US spend 6 to 9 hours on a smartphone. People in the UK also spend more time on a smartphone than they do in their sleep. India’s statistics are slightly below this, around 2-3 hours per day, but are rising sharply as the nation’s internet users will hit 314 million by 2017. Does that surprise you?
Since most professions require the use of a laptop or even a smartphone, it is absolutely unimaginable to go a day without any of these devices. Even our “free time” is spent on smartphones to watch movies or videos, participate in social networking sites, or even read books.
Technology is certainly a necessary evil today. It’s crazy, addictive, and might be too harmful, but it’s too important to abstain from. The obsessive-compulsive type of compulsive desire to stay connected can be overwhelming. When you don’t access these devices, you eagerly anticipate what you’re missing.
Turn off your smartphones and laptops for a day. Initially, the anxiety will be too much to handle. But stick with determination. Some things you could do in your day without smartphone:-
1) Choose a book, a real one and not a kindle version. Visit the library, a real one made of brick and concrete.
2) Write a letter to someone. A letter on paper and not an email.
3) Spend some time in the garden. Don’t worry about the tan. You can also visit a salon/spa after that.
4) Draw, paint, sculpt. What you want. Just get your hands dirty.
5) Try a new recipe. Cook something new.
6) Do something charitable. The world needs every minute of contribution.
7) Go to the local park or rent a bike and go for a ride.
8) Visit a friend. And he talks to them without being disturbed by the constant buzz of a cell phone.
Smartphones and other devices are here to stay, and their share of our 24 hours is only going to increase. Technology has made our lives more convenient than ever. But the extent to which it has taken over our lives is disturbing. So while we turn to mobile phone and laptop screens for all fun and work, it’s up to us to decide how much we want to spend in the virtual world and miss out on the beautiful things around us. Have a great day without smartphones!