According to global statistics, the amount of time we’re spending scrolling on social media is growing at an alarming rate.

That doesn’t even scratch the surface, as the research shows on average people spend a whopping 6 hours and 58 minutes online.

That’s 106.5 days of the year spent with our heads in our phones scrolling, instead of living life outside of the like of Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

The same study shows that daily screen time has increased by nearly 50 minutes per day since 2013.

During the third quarter of 2023, it was found that the daily use of the internet via any device amounted to six hours and 13 minutes on average in Ireland.

If these statistics give you the wake up call you needed, you can check your own stats here.

If you’re looking to break the phone addiction over the coming months, here are some top tips that have been proven effective.

Set your phone aside for one day a week

This might only be possible if you don’t require your phone for work, but a weekend day is a good option for this aswell.

It gives you the chance to detox from the online world and see how you fare without your device for a matter of 24 hours.

Just be sure to let your friends and family know that you won’t be contactable.

Set time limits

This is another effective option for minimising the amount of time you’re scrolling.

Most phones have a software built in to limit the time you spend on certain apps.

With these you can start with baby steps and set them just below your normal daily time, but each week you should work to shorten that time period.

Before you know it, you’ll have halved your time online.

Don’t charge your phone next to your bed

This is a great way to ensure you’re not grabbing your phone to scroll before bed, and that it’s not the first thing you look for in the morning.

Aside from the fact that the light from your phone can affect the quality of your sleep, you’ll find yourself nodding off much quicker than usual if you don’t have access to your phone.

Put your phone away when you get home

If you’re arriving home from friends or family, what is the need for your phone for a few hours on arrival home?

Try to get into the habit of putting it in a drawer when you get in and only reach for it when you think of it again.

You’ll be surprised how long you can go without reaching for your phone when it’s not in view.

Change your phone settings

There are lots of videos online that explain certain settings changes that can be effective in getting you away from your phone.

The most common ones are:

• Turn off notifications
• Set screen to black-and-white
• Remove distraction-based apps from your home screen
• Set a longer passcode
• Use airplane mode
• Turn on do not disturb

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