I came across the information for finding out how much time, and where that time is spent using my iPhone. Why? I read an article about phone/tech addiction. Yep, it’s a real thing – but that is no surprise, is it? When was the last time you were anywhere, and saw people actually talking to one another without having the ever-present phone at hand? Guilty!
Try this – turn your phone on, and tap on Settings. Scroll down to Battery. Scroll down to Battery Usage. You have a choice to see the last 24 hours, and the last week. To the right of those two choices, you will see a little clock. Tap on that clock to see that amount to time spent in either that last 24 hours, or the last week in each app. (There is a breakdown of time when the app is just running in the background.)
Next, do a search for one of the following: iPhone addiction, tech addiction, social media addiction…read some of those articles. It’s a real thing!
Cell phones and computers are not evil. They are a tool – just like a hammer or screwdriver. Used correctly, they help the user build something useful. Used incorrectly – or abused – they are destructive. By itself, the phone/computer/hammer/screwdriver can not create or destroy anything – it is how they are used.
I watched what appeared to be a father and son (early teens) in a restaurant. The only communication was with the waitress to order food – otherwise, they were both glued to their respective devices. I remember when computers became available to purchase for home use, and one of the concerns voiced was children learning to use keyboards. The concern was that handwriting would become a rarely used form of communication. Look at us now….we are becoming a society that doesn’t communicate verbally. Where is the grace in this? The warmth of face-to-face communication and sharing smiles, hugs, tears, sorrows, and joys? We are becoming a society of isolation. In that isolation, we can create our own fantasy world, build the ordinary into drama, and escape reality.
Here is my challenge, and I invite you to join me if you choose – I am going to “log my time” – write down my usage of my phone for the past 24 hours. Then, tomorrow, I am going to do the same. My goal is to decrease the amount of time lost, and increase my “real life” time. I already spend enough time on the computer for work – it’s time to get back to talking, touching, feeling. A quick text to say everything is OK, an e-mail to exchange information quickly – otherwise – talk in person, if distance is an issue, talk on the phone. Hear a voice, practice verbal communication – what a novel idea! Spend quiet time unplugged – reacquaint yourself with….you!
