How Are Phones Are Controlling Us

 Today, the world has become obsessed with checking our phones. Whether it's waking up in the morning or trying to fall asleep at night, we're scrolling, tapping, and refreshing without even realizing it. What seems like a harmless habit is really much more serious. I found out my screen time is from me being bored instead of just a routine after seeing my phone usage for 72 hours. We need to take this seriously since the amount of time we spend on our phones is hurting our ability to focus, be helpful, and think clearly. 

I used my screen time app to track how much time I spent on my phone over the span of three days, thinking five or seven hours per day. Rather, I’m out doing things more than three hours a day typically. Most of my time has been spent on social media apps like TikTok and Pinterest, with some time spent on Snapchat and chatting. Not only was the amount unexpected, but I was also shocked by how oblivious I was of it. Unaware to me, I would go on my phone for a little check and end up scrolling for half an hour. It made me realize how easy you can get sucked into being on your phone when time passes on a device. 

This situation is closely related to what was explained in the PBS NewsHour documentary talking about teens and screen time. The film shows how too much phone use can have a similar impact on the brain, just like addictive medications. I see how the comparison may seem harsh, but when looking at my own habits, it makes sense. Getting constant notifications, likes, and new content coming out creates a cycle that makes us come back for more. It is more than entertainment; it’s meant to keep us hooked. Which explains why it’s so hard to put down our phones, even when we know we should be bettering ourselves.  An article “Addicted to Distraction” supports this statement by discussing how constant access to the media has changed the way we think. It suggests that because we have become used to getting small bursts of information, we are slowly losing our ability to focus on important work and the things around us. Personally this is something I have experienced. After wasted hours of scrolling through videos and posts, it started to get difficult to sit down and be focused on reading or writing for a long amount of time. My brain felt like it had too much going on and having constant stimulation hurt my focus. 

Another key factor of this activity was to give full attention to media-based political criticism. When I wasn’t spending any time on political posts, I saw it more when scrolling through my feed. This idea is also mentioned on the PBS NewsHour video about teens being overly connected to their phones. Short videos, news stories, and opinions would appear in between my media, sometimes with no context or reason. Honestly it made me aware of what's going on in the world. But along with that sort of exposure may be unhelpful since it lowers or confuses big issues in the world. It made me understand how quick a lot of people make opinions with not enough information though social media itself. 

Following through with this activity, I began to question if I needed a break from my device. The answer is I do. Phones are great to communitcate through, learning, and entertainment, yet we have used them to an obsessive point. I feel the solution doesn't have to fully take away phone use, but take it as a sign to set boundaries and be more aware. Turning off notifications, limiting screen time, or making specific times during the day to reset, all could help make a healthy change. 

Finally, this activity showed that my phone usage was more than a problem; it was something that took over my time and attention. If we all keep ignoring the amount of time we spend on our phones and think it's normal, this situation will continually get worse. We know technology will only continue to grow, but that shouldn’t mean we let it affect us. By simply being more aware of our usage and making those fixes, we can restore control of our time, increase our focus, and live more intuitively. The question isn’t whether we use our phones too much, but if we’re going to do something about it.