By Genesis Combs —
97% of all Americans own a cell phone. Of these, nearly 90% have a smartphone. These
devices clearly have importance in our lives, now more than ever, and they are not going
anywhere anytime soon. But, what can we do in order to make our relationships with these
devices more healthy?
That’s what Julia Pond wanted to explore in a Faculty Unhinged discussion held recently at the
Hamilton DEI center. During her discussion, she mentioned how the U.S. Surgeon General had
called for a warning to be applied to social media regarding the risks it poses to the mental
health of minors. There have been countless research studies into the ill effects social media
and mobile devices can have on people, but such research does little good if it fails to address
why phones are like this and what we can do about it.
The dangers and adverse effects of social media and excessive smartphone usage is not an
accident or coincidence. They are designed to be addictive, as you constantly check in on your
apps—and, while doing so, view at the ads within. It is how mobile markets make their money.
These companies pour a great amount of effort and money into ensuring that you keep coming
back to their products, making it hard for the user to break away from constantly checking his or
her device, even if it’s something one is actively trying to avoid. Of course, for as many cons
that using these devices have, there are an equal number of pros that make people want (or
even need) to keep using them.
So, what are some ways in which we can use our phones in a healthier way? Near the end of
her discussion, Ms. Pond made a couple suggestions:
- Dedicate an hour a day to put your phone away while you do something else. If an hour
seems too intimidating, try starting with a shorter amount of time and building up from
there. - Leave your phone in a car or similar location when you go to in-person social events, so
you’ll be less likely to use it or depend on it.
Faculty Unhinged events are not just one-sided presentations; they’re group
discussions. The students and faculty in attendance then added four more ideas to this list
above:
- When you put your phone away for that hour, fill that time up with something like
exercise or reading—or something otherwise engaging—so that you’re using that time to
improve yourself. - Utilize do-not-disturb mode whenever you feel like it’s needed or appropriate.
- If you can find them, use specialized devices other than your smartphone for specific
common tasks. For example, if you mostly use your phone for music, look into getting an
MP3 device. - Consider slowly replacing social media with alternatives such as the indie/small web,
which typically lack the addictive features of social media but still provide connectivity.
Of course, it is no easy feat to just stop using phones and social media, given how intentionally
addicting and prevalent they are in our lives. However, we can always start somewhere, and
these small steps are a good place to at least make a genuine attempt.
Faculty Unhinged is a presentation and discussion-based event that happens every Wednesday
from 11:30 – 12:30. Students can participate in these discussions at the Center for Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion on both the Hamilton and Middletown campuses. A schedule of these
events can be found on their site and on the Hub.