If u spend less than an hour on the phone a day (total) how?

thegiver

Thu, Dec 20 2018, 7:35 pm

My smartphone says I spend 4 hours!!??! A day making calls checking emails researching rubbish (altho listening to shiurim is not bad but... 4 hours wasted in exchange for a 30 minute shiur?! ). My goal is to be frugal as possible with this phone use but dont want to pay for TAG.

Im willing to commit to something but need an action plan. Need change desperately. Baby was reaching for phone today :-/ she is copying me Sad

((((((

I have self control (can u imagine how much worse it could be without it?!?) most of the time but I do give in here and there.

How silly this all sounds but it is an addiction for everyone except you golden heroes who should light the way for everyone else who is chained down to their phone

settledin

Thu, Dec 20 2018, 9:47 pm

I struggle with this, too. And seeing my kids watching it, is what pushed me to change.
I thought of a worthwhile 'deal' to make with Hashem. Wrote a list of what I ask for in return (bc I knew it'll be a challenging struggle).

I then bought an old-style phone which has only talk and text. I bought a GPS (so I don't have excuse of needing phone for waze). Switched phones with my provider. And left my smartphone to check only a couple of times a day and when very necessary. I try to keep it out of my children's sight.

It's a struggle. Each day is different. Some days more than others. But I found myself much more focused and attentive...and getting more stuff done in my day.

Israeli_C

Thu, Dec 20 2018, 9:56 pm

I have a 'dumb' phone (but with text messages) and it was the best change I ever made as a mom and also in terms of productivity and avoiding arguments with people. When I had a smartphone I found myself getting irritated by individuals on whatsapp groups who, in 'real life', are actually very good people. Spamming of prayer requests, broadcasting views on subjects which I disliked and generally being annoying -- I wanted to remember them as they were in 'reality' and not their whatsapp personas. I also found that every time I heard an incoming mail or message, I'd stop myself and check it, taking away from time with my kids. I found myself being 'that mom' who sits on a bench in the park scrolling through her phone instead of playing with her kids, and I hated it.

When I first got my basic phone, I felt a big void and, quite frankly, bored and that I was missing out. But the more I developed my life outside of electronic devices, the more I realised that it gave me much more happiness to say mazal tov in person, visit friends and find out what's going on in their lives from speaking with them and not feel the constant need to send pictures and videos instead of living in the moment. I still find myself in situations where people are surprised I don't know about something that happened in our community or in the news ("but I posted about it in the whatsapp group!") but tbh if it's important enough, I'll find out another way.

Daily, I spend about 20 mins talking with my mom (who doesn't live in Israel), 10 mins texting/ringing friends in order to arrange meet ups and another 10 minutes texting my husband when he's in work with things that need to be bought on the way home.

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Dec 20 2018, 11:00 pm

OP, why not use your phone ONLY for calls, and any other internet related things, do it only on the computer?
Personally, I work on the computer, so Im almost never on my phone during the day, except maybe when I take a break I may play a game. But I really try to do what I suggested above. Even though I have a smart phone, I try to use it for almost nothing, otherwise, it just eats up my time and productivity. Is that a possibility?