Urban Blog

You may be addicted to your smartphone. Perhaps you are even reading this article on your smartphone and telling yourself that you couldn’t possibly have a problem. Smartphone addiction is certainly common; after all, smartphones were custom made to be highly addictive! That is, of course, the bad news, but there is good news. There are lot of benefits to be had from putting your smartphone down and walking out of the room. (And, yes, you do have to leave your smartphone behind.)

Smartphone Liberation Benefit #1-See the World

Now by “see the world” we don’t mean that once you turn off your smartphone you will magically be able to travel to exotic locations. Sorry. You will, however, be able to finally see the world around you.

Are you one of those people who take a walk in the woods only to discover that the only time you look away from your smartphone is to take a picture of nature? Any tool used too often or for too long becomes a crutch. Smartphones are amazing tools and most of us are using them far too much. The result is that we are often failing to see the world around us.

Smartphone Liberation Benefit #2-Restored Vision

Smartphones and computer screens are giving your eyes a real beating, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You have the power to just walk away, especially after business hours. What you will discover once you stop using your smartphone, as often is that your smartphone really does take a lot out of your eyes. Most avid smartphone users don’t realize how tired their eyes really are until they’ve had a little time away from their device.

Smartphone Liberation Benefit #3-Better Sleep

Can turning off your smartphone improve your health? No doubt it is hard to exercise looking at one’s smartphone all the time, but the health improvements associated with turning off your smartphone actually go far deeper.

Recent studies have shown that the light emitted from smartphones can actually interfere with quality sleep. It gets worst. Do you sleep with your smartphone near your bed? Well, you may want to stop. Studies have shown that smartphone radiation may interfere with getting enough restful sleep.

Speaking of smartphones and sleep, studies show that excessive use of mobile devices can actually interfere with your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Those who look at a phone for more than 4 hours during a day find that it is 49% more likely that it will take them over an hour to fall asleep.

Smartphone Liberation Benefit #4-Protect Your Brain, Maybe

Another health issue with smartphones is that the radiation they produce may be harmful to human health. In the old days, parents worried about children watching too much television. But at least most of the time a television wasn’t strapped to the side of their heads!

Yes, the comparison is apples to oranges but if there are negative health consequences to smartphone and cellphone use, they could be serious due to the way that most people use them. Several countries, including Finland, have conducted their own studies into smartphones and cellphones and have concluded that there are reasons to be concerned.

So what should you do? The World Health Organization has listed smartphones and cellphones as a possible carcinogen. This is a controversial statement and it doesn’t mean that your smartphone will kill you, but it may mean you want to exercise some caution.

A good argument can be made for “playing it safe” until the medical community is speaking with a fairly uniform voice. Right now there are those in the medical community preaching caution and considering that there are other benefits to putting your smartphone down for a while it only makes sense to curb one’s use. Not using a smartphone doesn’t mean you can’t use a computer.

Smartphone Liberation Benefit #5-Actually Talk to People

Yes, it is a bit of a crazy idea but turning off your smartphone could help you spend more time talking to people. Want to make more friends in the real world? Ironically, turning off your phone may do the trick.

Talking to people, attending events or simply looking up from your smartphone might be a good first step. Virtual networking is great, but what about networking in the real world? Networking is one of the best ways to build your career and discover new opportunities. Social media and virtual network has its benefits but so does networking the old fashioned way. Besides talking to people will help you improve your “social game,” and that will certainly come in handy at some point.

Another big benefit is that you can spend more time talking to the people you care about. Your smartphone will evolve in just a few months, but what about your relationships with the people you care about?

Smartphones Are Great Tools Which Need to Be Turned Off Every Once and a While

If you are feeling socially isolated, think about turning off your smartphone and engaging more with the world around you. Technology can both connect and divide, and if you are using your smartphone too much, you may be cutting yourself off from the world around you. That means reducing your possibilities and maybe even your happiness. So the next time you are in the checkout line, the Dog Park or just about anywhere else, keep your smartphone off, your head up and see what happens. Life is happening all around you and not just on a screen.