We all love our smartphones. Smartphones are communication, entertainment, knowledge, safety, convenience… all wrapped up in one simple package. Many would even say their entire lives are run through and organized by their smartphones. So naturally we need to be using them all the time. Reliable and accessible phone service is a right that Q Link Wireless believes every American deserves, regardless of income. There does, however, come a point where a psychological attachment to our smartphones can start to interfere with your daily life.
Here are a few signs that you may actually be addicted to your smartphone:
Sign 1: The first and last thing you do every day is check your phone
You fight the exhaustion for as long as possible, trying to send just one more text or scroll just a little further down the feed. You don’t actually sleep until your eyes physically cannot stay open but eventually, you do fall asleep. The moment you wake, the very first thing you do is reach over for your phone to pick up where you left off!
Cure:Â Establish the 30/30 rule! 30 minutes before bed, and 30 minutes after waking up, you are simply not allowed to use your phone. This will help you mentally wind down at night, and allow you to fall asleep faster. And in the morning, you can focus on making a fresh and healthy start to your day before using technology.
Sign 2: You use your phone during real-life interactions
You have mastered the art of texting without looking. You can maintain somewhat-steady eye contact during conversation, with only a few stolen glances at your phone as you text away. You also may be guilty of checking your email or scrolling through social media while someone is talking to you.
Cure: It’s so easy to fall into this temptation. The best cure is to imagine how you feel when you can see the person you’re talking to is paying more attention to their screen than you. Communication is often more about listening than speaking, so practice active listening! Put down your phone and use body language to show that you are listening. Nod your head, lead forward, maintain eye contact and open posture, and use verbal affirmations (I see or Sure). Your phone will be waiting for you on the conversation!
Sign 3: You stress about what you’re missing when you can’t use your phone
Has someone texted me about plans for this weekend? Do I have new Facebook comments on my last picture? What’s happening on Twitter? Has a major news story just dropped?
Sometimes you have no choice but to put your phone away, whether you want to or not. In the movies, at a funeral, on a Wi-Fi-less plane, or even entering a dead service zone. And when this happens over an extended period of time, you find yourself thinking along these panicked lines. 
You’re stressed out by all the things happening in the world that you’re tuned into via your smartphone. You anxiously feel that you’re trapped on a remote island, cut-off from the world as it passed you by.
Cure: When you find these thoughts creeping in, try to remember that your notifications aren’t going anywhere. Staying connected is important in so many ways, but it is also incredibly easy. You’re not going to fall behind world news and the latest gossip from just a little time off of your phone. Try to relax, and remember that once you do have your phone back, you will likely be fully caught up within a few minutes.
Sign 4: You check your phone even when you have no reason to
The weather app, your Settings, your email Inbox for the 10th time, the Facebook feed you’ve already been down today you’re not quite sure why you’re even on your phone. The notifications have been cleared, and you don’t have anything to do. And yet you still pull it out in the hopes that something to do, see, or respond to will emerge through sheer willpower.
Cure: A watched pot never boils or in this case, a watched smartphone never rings. Stop torturing yourself. If you truly have nothing left to do on your phone, just put it away. Odds are as soon as you stop thinking about it, one of your many apps or Inboxes will start buzzing again.
Sign 5: You don’t know how to be still without your phone
Whether you’re in line, sitting in a waiting room, standing in an elevator, even using the bathroom if you don’t have something to immediately occupy you’re attention, our default reaction is to pull out the phone. In this age of endless distractions, we constantly crave mental stimuli. We want to be engaged with something at all times, anything to keep our brains from standing still, whether that’s a live news feed, an article, a game, or a video. Our phones can always provide the mental activity we want, which is why we tend to reach for them when we feel bored.
Cure: Focus on taking a little time out of the day to be alone with your thoughts. It’s always great to know that your smartphone is able to keep you entertained no matter when you need it. But every now and then, when you find yourself in that long line or standing in an elevator, choose instead to take in your surroundings. Reflect on what your day has been like, and what you hope to accomplish for the rest of the day.
Sign 6: You leave your phone on the table during meals
Face up, face down, it makes no difference. You know it’s there, and your meal-time companions know it’s there. Putting your phone on the table is basically an announcement that no matter what is going on at the table, if that phone rings or vibrates, it will have your attention.
Cure: The solution is simple: put it away. You can even make a game out of it. The first person at the table to reach for their phone during the meal either cleans up (if you’re at home), or buys a round of drinks or appetizers (if you’re at a restaurant). I guarantee you won’t see any phones at mealtime with this rule in place.
Sign 7: You text and drive
It starts as just a quick glance to see what the text says. Then you decide on a one or two-word response. But you feel you’re doing it pretty smoothly, and decide to throw in a few more details. Suddenly, you’re a distracted driver, primed and ready to become another statistic.
Cure: Eyes on the road! Saying I’m good at texting and driving really only means I haven’t hurt anybody yet. Whatever it is, it can wait.
Sign 8: You experience “phantom vibrations”
You know exactly what that means. You are so keyed into your phone, so prepared and hoping for a notification, that you actually interpret other stimuli from your body as a buzz from the phone. Every little nudge and breeze you feel suddenly becomes a potential notification that you must check. You then feel disappointed once you realize there is actually nothing new for you to see.
Cure: This one is a little harder to cure all on its own. Phantom vibrations are essentially a symptom of everything listed above, such as the fear of missing out or the boredom of having no mental stimuli. Once you conquer those other impulses, the phantom vibrations should stop!
Balance Is Key
Smartphones are not inherently bad. In fact, smartphones are amazing! Consider the knowledge and communication capabilities, all of which previously unheard of, that are now available right at your fingertips. You can know, learn, do, and connect more with the world now than at any other point in human history. It’s practically a miracle! Between loved ones, doctors, employers, appointments, friends, emails, internet access, emergency services having a phone has become essential to living a safe and productive life.
However, it’s equally important to carefully monitor how much control of our lives we grant our smartphones. The power to reach out to friends and family anywhere in the world, and plan time together, is incredible. Ignoring your friend and family during that valuable bonding time in order to check Twitter or send out texts? Not so great. The guaranteed access to emergency and health services could save a life, but using your smartphone while driving could cost someone their life.
It’s all about balance!
To receive FREE phone service, you first must be approved through the National Verifier. You can bring your own phone and keep your number to experience our 5G network coverage. We will ship you a FREE SIM Card Kit so you can get UNLIMITED talk & text if you already participate in government programs such as SNAP and Medicaid. Once approved, you can begin the phone activation process to receive FREE phone service online.
