WHEN I GOT my first smartphone over a decade ago, I loved it. It gave me instant access to my music, a world of information, and thousands of photos and videos. But over time, I became increasingly ambivalent about its role in my life. I would repeatedly refresh my email, shop online for stuff I didn't need, and constantly scroll through the latest bad news. I'd often complain to my husband and to my seven-year-old son, Louis, that I felt trapped by it.
So I began to research studies on the mental-health effects of smartphone use. I discovered that smartphones are linked with anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality, especially among younger people. Unsurprisingly, they also impact your ability to parent responsively and to remain in the present moment with your kids.
Then, one-day last summer, while I was playing with Louis, I was once again distracted by dings and pings. He finally echoed my complaints about my smartphone back to me, but rephrased them as a plea: "Mommy, just give it up already!"
I decided to try. Instead of going cold turkey-no cellphone at all—I bought a flip phone and cell plan for $30 a month. With no touch screen, texting is time-consuming. I can't access email, music, or social media and don't even try browsing the web without a touch screen. While the adjustment hasn't always been smooth sailing, it's easier than I thought it would be and the benefits are worth it.
I'M MORE CONNECTED IN MY RELATIONSHIPS
Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av Reader's Digest India.
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Denne historien er fra May 2022-utgaven av Reader's Digest India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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From the King's Table to Street Food: A Food History of Delhi
Pushpesh Pant, one of India’s pre-eminent food writers, is back with a comprehensive food history of the capital.
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Dozens of diets are touted as ‘best’, but it’s easy to lose track of the fact that healthy eating needs to be about overall wellness, not just weight loss.
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SWITCHED
In 1962, nurses at a small Canadian hospital sent home two women with the wrong babies. Then, 50 years later, their children discovered the shocking mistake.
ECHOES OF THE PAST
A VISIT TO THE ANCIENT BARABAR CAVES IN BIHAR REVEALS A SURPRISING CONNECTION TO A LITERARY CLASSIC
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honour the many men who helped her survive her childhood
Fiction's Foresight
British-Bangladeshi author Manzu Islam's works reveal startling parallels to recent political upheavals in Bangladesh, begging the question: Besides helping us make sense of our world, can stories also offer a glimpse into the future?
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The Divine Defence Picture this: A tractor in Rajasthan‘s Banswara district,a group of loan agents closing in to seize it and the defaulting farmer and his family standing by.
