Tech Addiction Is Ruining Your Life—Here’s How to Break Free

Technology now dominates our every waking moment. Corporations design smartphones, computers, and video games to be as engaging and addicting as possible. It’s in the best interest of the company that we all stay “plugged-in”, consume content, so we can click on ads.

There is growing movement of people that have started to recognize that their habits online are making them miserable.

When we don’t find the correct balance: it leaves us depressed, lonely, and disconnected from our own needs.

I’ve written this guide as a person who has struggled with technology addiction my whole life. It took me a decade of learning different skills to overcome get here.

I wanted to help those looking for effective solutions to self-help screen addiction. This guide offers practical steps to help you regain control and find balance in your digital life.

However, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, I also offer 1:1 coaching to help you navigate this process. Together, we can create a customized plan tailored to your unique challenges and goals, so you can reclaim your time, energy, and focus.

Are We Really “Addicted” To Technology?

As a society, we’ve largely overlooked the broader, lifelong effects that technology is having on us.

Researchers have studied how use of digital media, social media, and online gaming can result in behavior patterns that mirror traditional addictions. Studies have identified problems in media use, such as gaming or social media overuse, as issues that affect mental health, relationships, and productivity​.

For example, studies suggest that online behavioral addictions share similarities with other types of addictive behaviors such as cravings, and impacts to life satisfaction.

Further research has explored the psychological and physiological effects of technology addiction, indicating that it can contribute to issues like depression, anxiety, social isolation​, and an increasingly inactive lifestyle.

These studies underline that technology is having a very real impact on our life satisfaction, sleep, social life, and negatively impact our mental health. This is making us more depressed and anxious. Undermining our social lives. And disrupting our happiness.

How to Reduce Screen Time: Some Practical Tips

So what can we do to decrease our screen time? At times it can feel overwhelming because it is so ingrained in our modern society.

Here are some simple (but not easy) solutions to self-help screen addiction that can make a huge difference. You can implement these things today and see impacts!

These things have worked for me, and I think it can work for you too:

1. Keep Your Phone Out of the Bedroom

   Having phones in the bedroom is the most problematic place to keep it. It massively impacts our sleep patterns.

   • It stimulates our brain which makes it difficult for us to fall and stay asleep.
   • We tend to reach for our phones in the middle of the night, which keeps us from falling back to sleep.

   Instead: replace the phone with a book. Books allow our mind to settle and relax before bed.

2. Practice Digital Mindfulness

   • Learning mindfulness skills will greatly improve your understanding of why you have compulsions to use your phone or computer.
   • Watch your own emotions. Why are you picking up the phone? Is it out of boredom, loneliness, sadness, discomfort?

   I write extensively about digital mindfulness in the free newsletter if you’d like to learn more!

3. Find activities that help you “unplug”

   • Discover hobbies that are intentionally away from the computer. Like painting, hiking or camping, playing an instrument, basket-weaving, or woodworking.
   • Consciously plan for spending more time outdoors. Could be as simple as going to the park or taking a walk. Just being outside helps our brain and nervous system “reset”.

   Discover new activity ideas.

4. Don’t Use Technology First Thing in the Morning

   When the first thing you do is use your phone or computer you start your day out on the wrong foot.

   It’s hard to gain the momentum to start your day when you are introduced to the dopamine loop first thing.

   Your motivation to be productive during that day will be greatly improved if you can get up and brush your teeth, make your bed, or step outside. This kick starts your brain chemistry in the right direction and is the most impactful part of your day to set things on track.

5. Use Screen Time Managing Applications on Your Devices

   • Use digital tools to track, limit and monitor your usage.
   • Evaluate which times of day are the most “problematic” for you.
   • Brainstorm alternative activities you’d like to be doing in these time periods instead.

   If you can reduce your social media time to 30 minutes a day it will greatly impact your mental health.

6. Build Your Community

   One of the most critical things that we need to get us away from the screen is our local community.

   Focus on finding people in your local community that give you an excuse to get you out of the house. Find a therapist. A neighborhood dog walking group (or start one!). Join a fitness class.

   Find things that force you to be around the same set of people consistently.

Journaling for self-improvement and awareness

As you start this journey I recommended to write down your thoughts, goals, and things you notice about yourself and your habits.

Some prompts to get you started:

• What do I wish my life looked like? How is my screen time impacting that?
• What emotions am I having during my usage: before and during?
• Which unplugged activities would I like to do that would replace my screen time?
• What would it look like for me to have a balanced relationship with technology?

Why Addressing Screen Addiction Matters

It’s hard to work on ourselves.

But when you can use technology mindfully it means that you are the one steering the ship that is your life.

One thing that surprised me as I reduced my screentime was how much it impacted others around me.

Additional benefits that happen when we practice digital mindfulness:

• Foster and create new relationships.
• Discover or re-discover things in life that bring you joy!
• Increase physical fitness and nutrition.
• Follow through on your personal goals.
• Improve focus and productivity in your daily tasks.
• Strengthen your connection with the real world around you.

A Path Forward

It can actually be difficult to make small changes in our screentime habits that make a lasting impact. That’s why generally I recommend trying out a “digital detox” for a few days to see how your body feels.

During a digital detox it’s much easier to see the impacts that your screentime is having. You can see more clearly what technology in your life is benefitting and what is hindering you.

I have written a free guide on how to have a successful unplugged weekend to learn how to reset your nervous system.