Our phones these days have become an extension of ourselves. Don’t agree? Well, tell me truthfully, when was the last time you spent a whole day without your phone? It may have been a while, if ever. But you’re not the only one. As a society, we are addicted to our phones. Most of us wake up and go directly on social media. We go out with a friend and spend more time looking at our phones than at their faces. We walk in the streets looking down at our screen afraid to make eye contact with other strangers. 

Times have changed, and technology has modified the way we carry on with our day to day ordeals. We can not deny that these advancements have tremendously eased our lives. We can learn whatever we want, wherever we are, communicate with our loved ones in an instant, and even shop from the comfort of our homes. And while all these commodities have simplified many areas of our lives, it seems like our condition is more complicated than ever. Depression is at an all time high. We have more ways of communication yet people have never felt more alone. We compromise our morals for attention, and our life has become a public show for attention. 

The dual nature of technology makes it difficult for us to find balance, which is why it is necessary to intervene before it’s too late. Here are a few ways in which you can use technology to your advantage and not drown your mental health in your daily commute on the net. 

1. Become aware of where you’re spending your time 

How many hours a day do you spend on social media alone? Phones these days tell us exactly the number of minutes or hours that we spend on certain apps. Take a look at your social media time. Are you happy with that number? 

If your work isn’t social media based and you’re spending hours on Instagram or any of the rest, I will bluntly tell you that you’re wasting your time. Be honest, aren’t there other beneficial ways in which you could be spending your time? If we don’t look into our days and pay attention to where our time is going, we won’t understand just how much of it we are wasting. 

I recommend that you journal your hour to hour activities for at least one week so you can see your time with more clarity. Is technology consuming your days? If we are aware of a problem, we can fix it. But we must become accountable of our lives first. 

2. Follow pages that will help you grow

If you’re using social media, how many times do you find yourself looking at other people’s lives? It’s not normal to be looking at anyone else’s life but yours. It causes us to unnecessarily involve ourselves in their existence and it can even awaken feelings of inadequacy and jealousy. 

Try following pages that will help you become a better person instead. Do you have any hobbies? Follow a person who can teach you how to improve at your craft! Or find pages that will motivate you and help you with a change of mindset. We are what we constantly do, and if social media is a big part of your day, be mindful of what you’re ingesting.

3. Use the internet to learn

The internet is pretty much the biggest library in the world. You can literally find information on anything that catches your interest. If you want to make better use of technology, use the internet as a learning tool.

There are many professors out there that will even teach you how to do anything for free, so take advantage. Yes, entertainment is fun, but it cannot take up the majority of our day. When we learn, we feel fulfilled because we are using our time wisely while acquiring wisdom!  

4. Set timers on your phone 

Certain phones allow you to set up a time limit that will pop up when you have exceeded your usage for an app. This is a great tool to use because it’s easy to lose track of life when we are surfing the net. 

If your phone doesn’t have the option, then simply set up a timer for whatever time you are allowing yourself to use your phone. This can save you lots of time which you can use on more advantageous activities. 

The internet has revolutionized our existence. We cannot deny that we depend on many of its attributions, but we also have to use it mindfully. If we use technology to our advantage, imagine how much we can grow! However, this double-edged knife comes with a condition: to be conscious of how we use it.