More than half of all American teenagers admit to being addicted to their phones.
According to a recently released study by Common Sense Media, half of the 1,200 teenagers surveyed freely admitted they use their phones too much, while nearly 60 percent of the teen's parents said their child is "adversely preoccupied with technology."
Of the study, Common Sense Media CEO James Steyer told The Washington Post,
Digital devices have transformed people's lives. They are changing everything from parent-child relationships, to human interaction, to our ability to focus on the task at hand.
But let's not blame this all on youth. According to the same survey, 28 percent of teens feel their parents are also equally addicted to their tech.
So yes, we are totally addicted to our phones and computers, that is clear, but what can we do about it? Here's how to try a digital cleanse.
Decide when your detox will begin.
Is this something you want to do for a week, or make a normal thing? Decide first on your timeline, say a day, a week or every Sunday for dinner, and stick to it. Just make sure it's realistic for you and you have no obligations to technology during those times (like a very important Skype meeting you absolutely must use your computer for).
Decide which technology will be put away.
Are you going camping for a week and leaving your phone behind, or are you simply ditching social media to live your best life? Make the choice now and maybe even delete the apps you want to avoid while on your chosen cleanse.
Let people know before you disappear.
Tell your family and friends not to worry, or to call the police, because you're just going off the grid for a few hours/days/weeks.
Make plans.
What are you going to do with all the time you're not spending on technology? Whatever the hell you want. Go work out, spend time with family and friends, experience the great outdoors, whatever. It's your time now.
The average Facebook user living in the US spends 40 minutes a day on the social app. Imagine what you could do each week if you decided to go on a technology cleanse every now and then. The sky is truly the limit.
