SCS32-W4 || Real-Life Problem Solving Challenge: Reduce Mobile Addiction

We are all used to this scenario: waking up in the morning instead of stepping outside to enjoy the calm cool morning nature, our hands goes straight to our mobile phones. Notifications flashes like fireworks, and pulling us into Facebook and WhatsApp chats, Instagram and Tiktok reels, and endless scrolling. Hours will just slip away unnoticed, and suddenly the day will just feels shorter than it should have been.

This is the clear and common trap of screen time — it sneaks into our lives, shaping our habits, health, and even our relationships. So that's why I decided to track my usage and reflect deeply on how my phone controls me, and how I can control it back through this amazing challenge from @ahsansharif.

Let's start with Sunday since it was the day this challenge was brought to us. So on Sunday as seen on the above screenshot being the most highest, my screen time was 7 hours 4 minutes. Therefore, being a weekend, I had no restrictions, so I indulged in social media, which shows the most used app being Facebook. The hours piled up because I kept moving from one reels to another. Truly, It felt enjoyable at the time i started, but later I realized how draining it was. My eyes felt heavy, and I noticed I had wasted much time that i could have been used for reading or exercising.

So as of yesterday which was monday, my screen time just decreased to 5 hours 30 minutes,. Thats really a great improvement. However Monday was a workday for me. Responsibilities and tasks kept me busy, so I only used my phone for communication and quick updates in the evening. Then after coming back from work I spent some times on Facebook and it's was the most used app for that day. This really shows how our lifestyle and daily schedule can just directly affect the phone usage. When I am occupied with responsibilities, my phone becomes a tool instead of a distraction to me.

So as of today I had some changes with my screen time. I had 5 hours 25 minutes of my screen time. I didn't go to work today so I was home althrough the day. With that I get to work by writing this content for this amazing challenge, I didn't have to go through social media etc. My focus was on the Steemit Plartform. So the most used app today is chrome which I used in opening the Steemit Plartform.

Truth be told my phone is like a toolbox to me — I use it for different purposes:

On Social media

Facebook ,Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok keeps me connected with friends and current trends. I enjoy seeing updates, but sometimes I get lost in endless scrolling and watching videos. For example I can remember watching one short video, before I knew it have spent almost an hour watching different shorts reels on Facebook and my data bundle finished and I was shocked.

My Communication

Therefore calls and chats do help me stay in touch with my family and colleagues. It is my lifeline to people I care about. So I do always use my phone to talk to them either on calls or chats. I feel lively while doing this.

My Entertainment

Truly gaming and videos relax me after stressful hours. They give me quick joy but also consume time. I can't even imagine using my phone without E football game or dls football game. The graphics and design of this gaming app is eye-catching and looks real like I'm playing normal football. So I'll use this game to enjoy myself while resting.

Below is the screenshot of the dls game play by me. From opening the game to scoring the goal and the players celebrating.

Work

In terms of Steemit is the number one work that will draw my attention to my mobile phone. Followed by crypto trading, checking market , buying and selling etc. Emails, documents, and research also happen on my phone. So no doubt this is the real productive side of my usage.

However, screen time do affects me surely in both good and bad ways. Firstly It do keeps me informed and connected at some moment, and it also makes me tired and distracted when I stare for too long. So sometimes I will just feel guilty when I realize that I could have spent those hours doing something apart from using my phone, something like reading or exercising instead.

However to balance my life, I adopted physical activities that take me away from my phone when I'm not at work. Because when I'm at work I won't have time for my phone except from emergency only. But when I'm not at work the urge to use phone do pile up. So with the below three activities I'm capable of reducing my screen time now.

📖 Reading

With my experience as at now, I can say that reading some interesting books and articles do always gives me knowledge and peace of mind that I needs. It just freshen my mindset, and also improves my knowledge too, allowing me to just learn new things without needing any screen at that moment.

For example, when I read a novel or a any motivational book, I enjoyed the moment and forget my phone completely. Or when I read the Bible it draws me more closer to our creator Jehovah. The benefit is that I grow spiritually and physically and intellectually while resting my eyes from the phone. And I do love this moment.

💪 Exercising Myself

However i have just started a 30 days journey of home workout excersise just to draw me away from my phone. So these exercises which I have been doing for a while now,keeps my body very strong. It do well to builds discipline and helps me to release stress much better than before.

So with my experience so far any time sweat comes out of my body after this home workout, Im always full with energy to do a lot of physical activities without getting tired instead of just focusing on the phone. And another benefit is that I always feel much healthier, more confident, and less tempted to waste my time online. So that's the fact.

🌱 Gardening moments

Yeah, gardening is another activity that really takes me away from my phone automatically. Planting beautiful flowers or vegetables in our compound gives me real joy happiness and patience. Watching something grow because of my care is deeply satisfying.

Therefore,with that, the benefit which i do have is that it help me really connect with the nature, enjoy the fresh air, and spend my time outdoors instead of just glued to my phone screen indoors.

However at first I can remember that, my screen time was always above 7 hours daily. But after introducing these physical activities, I noticed a big change in my life. My average screen time reduced to around 4–5 hours.

The benefits are really clear:

• There's much better sleep now, because I don’t scroll late at night. I wake up much fresher and more energetic to face the days tasks.

• Sharper focus because I spend more time on real physical tasks like exercising ,reading and gardening.

• It really helps to improved my health because exercising keeps me fit, strong and healthy.

• And I have a stronger relationships at the moment because I spend more time with people physically instead of only chatting them online.

This history shows that reducing screen time is not just about numbers; it’s about living a healthier and more balanced life.

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So now if I were to advise anyone that is addicted to Mobile phone and excessive screen time, I would say:

• Try to Set limits: Use your phone settings to control daily usage. For example you get set alarm to ring at a particular time to warn you to stop using your phone. Or you get set limits on some certain app to indicate how long you have used it and warn you to stop.

• Engage yourself in hobbies: Always try your best to find joy and happiness in activities like reading, cooking, sports etc. It will surely helps you to overcome excessive screen time.

• Have Good sleep: Avoid late-night scrolling with phone. For example I have set my sleep time to 9pm everyday and I wake up at 5am this helps me to completes my 8 hours sleep. And I'll wake up with energy and not to be weak in the morning. That's a much better lifestyle.

• Stay social offline: Love to spend your time more with your family and friends physically.

• Always Be mindful: If the urge to use your phone comes unexpectedly, before you pick the phone ask yourself if you picking up the phone is really necessary and important at that point.

Therefore reducing screen time is not a punishment; it is freedom. It surely gives us more life outside the digital world and keeps our health more sharp.

In all this journey of tracking my screen time, understanding why I use my phone, and finding balance through physical activities has surely taught me that discipline is the real key. So I must say that our mobile phones are really powerful tools or machines, but we shouldn't allow it to control us at all. So by reducing my screen time, I have gain more control over my life, my health, and my happiness. Much thanks to ahsansharif for this amazing lesson.

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_{All shown pictures are mine shoot 📸on Tecno spark30. 📱}

Cc:
@ahsansharif