10 Signs You’re Spending Way Too Much Time On Your Phone

A lot of us are at least a little dependent on our phones, but there comes a point when being on your phone “a lot” turns into being on your phone “too much.” If these situations apply to you, it may be time to delete some of those addictive apps and spend more time away from that tiny screen:

  1. You feel lost when you walk into a room without it. Yes, being able to poop and check Twitter at the same time is a marvel of technology, but you shouldn’t feel despair when you leave your phone in the kitchen when you go to the bathroom. It’s not unusual to want to have your phone with you when you leave the house, but not being in the same room with it shouldn’t cause you any stress if your habits are normal.
  2. You prioritize it over face-to-face interactions. It’s not old-fashioned to say that you should focus your attention on the person you’re spending time with in real life. Don’t ever be That Guy that’s on a date or spending time with his family and has to ask someone to repeat themselves because he was too busy looking at his phone.
  3. You check the same app over and over again. Do you ever catch yourself closing Instagram, then opening Instagram right back up? When you’re really bored, it’s understandable that you might be holding out hope that the little device in your pocket could offer some kind of entertainment, but if checking these apps is just a habit at this point, you might benefit from just carrying a book around with you.
  4. You use even tiny amounts of free time to play around on it. Having such a small device that can do so much makes it easy to pull it out while waiting to see the doctor or using public transportation. But pulling it out to play a game while you check the mail is a little much. Try to break the habit of having to stare at a screen at literally every available opportunity.
  5. You can’t make a phone call without also checking your apps. Not every phone call with your mom or coworker is going to be thrilling, but the person on the other end of the line still deserves your attention. They’ll probably be able to tell if you’re not completely engaged in the conversation because you’re scrolling through social media while you have them on speaker.
  6. You use it while using your computer at the same time. It’s sometimes necessary or convenient to perform a task with your phone while also performing a task with your computer, but if you’re watching YouTube videos on your computer while playing a game on your phone, maybe take a step back and try to focus on one form of entertainment (or distraction) at a time.
  7. You lose awareness of your surroundings because of it. We’ve all seen the videos of people who walk into poles or signs because their eyes are glued to their phones. Do you really want to be that guy? It’s not only embarrassing to not know what’s going on around you because you’re responding to a text, but it’s also dangerous. If you start missing your subway stop or running into people because you’re so engrossed in your phone, it’s time to start making some changes.
  8. You scroll and scroll until you can’t keep your eyes open anymore. The experts at Harvard agree: the blue light that comes from your screens is bad for your sleep schedule. But many of us still check in with the digital world right before going to bed. It’s one thing to check Instagram one more time before rolling over and making the effort to sleep, but if you’re falling asleep with your phone in your hand, you might be doing your health more harm than you’d think.
  9. You get anxious when you can’t check it. Are you constantly itching to know what the internet has been up to or what texts you’ve gotten while you’re in a long work meeting? Does the idea of going on a weekend camping trip with no cell service make you nervous? If so, you might be more dependent on your phone than you think. Our phones are definitely a massive convenience, but you shouldn’t feel like you can’t live without yours for a short amount of time.
  10. You feel the need to look at it while driving. By now, it’s common sense that texting and driving is dangerous and potentially fatal. But there are still countless people who still think that it’s fine to do it while they’re behind the wheel of a large metal machine. Don’t be that person whose life is changed forever because you just had to answer a text right away.