When we heard that Simon Cowell, the renowned music producer and creator of X Factor, had given up on using his mobile phone, we were not surprised. There has been a lot of talk about the dangers of mobile phone usage: how smartphones can overheat and injure you, affect your relationships, or generally lower your happiness levels. The struggle to purge ourselves of the side effects of mobile phone usage is not new. There comes a point in everyone’s life when we wonder if running through a virtual temple, trying to eat gems, and avoiding obstacles while being chased by flying witches and monkeys; or trying to advance to the next level in candy crush, is even a small productive use of our time. Or when spending hours retweeting lit clapbacks, mad burns, the funniest spongebob memes, and gifs feels wrong, but we agree that it is what it is, and keep right at it.
Simon Cowell says that not using his mobile phone in ten months has made him happier, and we are truly happy for him. But some of us are not millionaires with thousands of options on ways to entertain ourselves, stay connected to our loved ones and the outside world, and improve our social circles. We still need a mobile phone, and there are ways you can use yours without retreating into stone age like Simon Cowell.
While the effects of the overuse of smartphones can be problematic, android smartphones are not prisons you are being held in. And if you are worried that they might be, rest assured there are Michael Scoffields ( from Prison break) waiting to break you out.
TIPS FOR BREAKING OUT OF MOBILE PHONE HABITS There are healthy ways you can use your mobile phone that allows you to maintain your focus and mental health that do not involve giving up phone privileges completely. Below are some tips to help you stay in charge of your android smartphone destiny.
Turn off notifications: You too can live like Beyonce and not check every single thing that happens on your social media accounts or other apps by simply turning off unnecessary notifications. Do you want to know someone whom you’ve never spoken via Instagram story? Neither do we.
Airplane mode: This button is more than just a fancy suggestion. Use it! Try turning on airplane mode during hours when you don’t want to be disturbed, or right before you go to sleep. Unless there is an emergency, nothing interesting happens past bedtime.
Schedule your phone time: We all know how good the latest gossip can be, especially when we have something to do. Even the tiniest unimportant details, take on a life of their own and pull you in tighter and tighter. You can resist this by creating a schedule for time you can spend on your mobile phone, and sticking to it even in the midst of news about another royal.
Parental control: One of the tasks parents struggle with is how to curtail mobile phone usage of their kids. This is one of the things Simon Cowell is worried about with his son. The YASYAS android smartphone besides having airplane mode, has fingerprint security and would ensure that his kid has to ask daddy before using the phone. You can also use parental control features on yourself, because not only are you an adult, you are your own supervisor.
