How to escape the temptation of apps and social networks on smartphones

It is no coincidence that applications and technology devices have a sky-high number of daily active users. They have their own strategies to keep users glued to the application.

Users need to be alert to attention-grabbing features and adjust their smartphone usage time appropriately so as not to become too dependent on them.

Snapchat uses a timer that counts the number of consecutive days a user has logged in, called “streaks,” to keep users addicted. Meanwhile, customers in the Apple ecosystem always carry their Apple Watch or iPhone with them when exercising to record their journey and receive rewards for daily activities.

Duolingo is even more "advanced" when it has a ranking of users' level of diligence and enthusiasm in studying so they can compete with each other.

While many of these features are building healthy habits in users like exercising or learning a foreign language, even the healthiest habits can become toxic if overused.

Stay alert to avoid falling into the “streaks” trap.

Users need to be aware of the attention-grabbing features and adjust their smartphone usage time appropriately so as not to become too dependent on them. They need to carefully consider and evaluate whether “streaks” or regular activity rankings have a good or bad effect on themselves.

Even language learning apps like Duolingo use a "streaks" counting system to attract regular users. Photo: Duolingo.

“Ask yourself whether they’re helping you establish good habits or making them worse,” says psychology professor Adam Alter. A badge that rewards users for hitting a weekly exercise milestone can help them stay motivated and work harder. But if you focus on the reward and forget that your body needs rest, your fitness app can be detrimental.

For three years, Alter pushed himself to run more than 100 miles a month. He even tried running on a treadmill in the middle of the night or forcing himself to run despite being injured to meet his target. But he gradually realized that this was not good for his health after falling ill due to excessive fatigue.

Now, Alter says he feels liberated. He can do whatever he wants without having to set any goals. He also has days to relax, escape his normal routine by reading books, listening to music… Alter calls these days “cheat days”.

Change from the smallest habits

Share withWashington PostNirEyal, a lecturer at Stanford University, shared that a bad habit of him and his wife is that they both stick to their own phones, laptops, and tablets when it's time to sleep. This negatively affects the sleep and sex life of the young couple.

So Eyal bought a device that automatically disconnects the family’s internet connection at 10 p.m. To turn the WiFi back on, he and his wife have to exit the device and walk to the router. But they’re both too lazy to get out of bed, so their bedtime routine was quickly broken by this simple device.

Toxic phone habits can be changed with just a few simple tips. Photo: iStock

But this simple trick doesn't work for people who are seriously addicted to technology.

When treating patients with gaming addiction, Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and professor at Stanford University, often encourages them to stop using the game for a month. That’s long enough to change the cycle of instant gratification and regret that follows a prolonged period of time spent on electronic devices.

Make a clear plan

But if you can’t break your old habit, you should make a specific plan for your “detox.” Especially for young people, they need distractions, NirEyal said. According to experts, if children know they can only watch YouTube for an hour at 7 p.m., they will be more likely to relax instead of worrying and waiting for their favorite videos.

Eyal himself spends 10 minutes every weekend planning his week, dividing time into work, family, and leisure time such as reading and exercising. He also sets aside 4 hours every weekend for unplanned activities with family.

Users need to be alert when surfing the phone. Photo: Wall Street Journal

You can also use your phone to track the total time you spend on each app and set limits for it. TikTok also added a feature that shows notifications when children access the app for more than 1 hour/day. However, Professor Lembke said that these features are not effective when users want to break the habit of using electronic devices.

Therefore, the professor called on governments to have specific regulations on the time young people spend on electronic devices, surfing social networks or playing videos every day. Schools should also ban phones during class. "It's crazy that we leave each person to solve their own problems like that. This is a huge pressure on each individual," Professor Lembke said.