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I'm using my phone way less, and it's making me happier
9to5Google • • technology
Key Points:
- The author, a tech journalist, acknowledges being addicted to smartphones and social media, leading to decreased mental well-being and presence in daily life.
- After recognizing the problem, they deleted their Twitter account and later went "cold turkey" on most social media platforms, restricting access primarily to desktop browsers to curb usage.
- Despite quitting social media, the author found themselves addicted to Reddit, highlighting the ease of substituting one digital distraction for another.
- To reduce phone dependency, the author adopted habits like not bringing the phone to the bathroom, leaving it outside the bedroom, using an e-reader for bedtime reading, and choosing gaming over mindless scrolling.
- After 5-6 months of these changes, the author reports feeling happier, healthier, more present, and better able to understand the technology they review professionally.
