Life has become more and more revolved around these smart devices that we hold in our hands. For example, we’re constantly using our phone numbers as signs of identification, sending messages, making calls, and using social media accounts on our cell phones.
The more that our phones become the centers of our lives, and the more our phones allow us to do everything we want from a small black box, the better we all need to use our phones more effectively. What’s a balanced way to use our phones? Are there any applications we can add to make our experiences better? How are they affecting our social life balance?
Download a Burner App and Get Organized
You’ve likely heard of burner phones, but did you know that you can have all of the convenience and organization of a burner phone from your regular device? In addition, some applications let you set up extra burner phone numbers on a subscription basis, and the fees are minimal.
You can use a burner number for several attractive conveniences, including organizing everything. You can use your primary number for your social life and your burner number for work or school. You can also use multiple burner numbers to separate the different facets of your life even more.
Better yet, while you could leave your work phone at home, you can do something pretty similar if you have a burner number on your phone. You can simply mute your notifications coming in from one of your alternate numbers while you’re off the clock or don’t want to be distracted. After all, your time for relaxation is precious.
Burner phone numbers can also help keep you from giving out your number to those you don’t want to be in regular contact with, like those you know you’ll only be in conversation with for a short period.
In the same way, your burner number can be the number you use to sign up for service and product notifications so your regular inbox doesn’t get flooded. That means you only learn about deals and discounts on your terms: for example when you have the time and the money to spare.
Use Your Phone Setting Timers
You might know that you have a stopwatch app, or some equivalent, on your phone. These are frequently used to help you figure out when the laundry in your building will be done or help you figure out when you’re finished with a set of repetitions in your workout routine.
However, did you know that other timers are available in your phone’s settings?
Controlling Blue Light
When it gets to be later and darker at night, many people prefer to make the light coming from their screens a little warmer to help them transition into the end of the day. Of course, many people will control this via the blue light sliders in their settings, but they don’t even know this is something they can change in the first place.
Changing the blue light settings on your phone can also be helpful if you have sensitive eyes, are prone to migraines, or have other issues affected by the lighting on your screens.
Some opt for blue light-reflecting glasses, but this isn’t always enough for everyone. You can take even more control if you set a settings timer to lower the blue light at a set time every day. Some phones will even allow you to pick sunrise and sunset, or similar options, for these settings to change automatically.
Get Some Downtime from Your Phone
Did you know another timer setting in your phone can help you develop healthy phone use habits? I call this one my downtime timer, but it essentially allows you to set at what times during the day you want to be able to receive notifications.
There are other settings in this area that will allow you not to use certain apps during certain times of the day. For example, if you have a habit of using social media apps during work and you no longer want to use them during your work hours, there’s generally an option to select the apps that are giving you problems and then to set times when those apps can’t be opened.
Put Your Phone Away Before Bed
Especially if you notice that you’re having difficulty sleeping, it’s a good idea to put your phone away around bedtime. As mentioned previously, the blue light that gets emitted through your phone can physiologically and psychologically affect how you interact with the world.
But it isn’t just the blue light that can do this. If you’re falling asleep with your phone, the light source, in general, could keep your body from sleeping well. We tend to associate our phones with exciting sources of fun, such as scary videos and listicles. Instead of engaging with these, we should be allowing our minds to relax.
