Smartphones have made a huge difference to our personal and business lives, with one in every 5 people owning one it is difficult to remember life before. While mobiles may have made life much easier in relation to work and family flexibility, people are switching on to the fact that smartphone usage is currently off the hook, often blurring the line between work and home life. If we aren't dialing down, could we be risking our long term physical and mental well-being? Let’s log on to the statistics as we hashtag the facts.
# According to data released by Forbes and meQuilibrium, 61% of respondents stated that they can’t ignore their electronic devices, and they check them within the hour after getting an email, text or alert.
50% of people aren't switching off and they check their work email outside of work hours, including weekends and holidays.
81% of people admit to interrupting conversation, mealtime, or recreation time with family or friends to check their social media, text messages, or email.
73% of people believe their use of electronic devices has contributed to stress in their life.
# A separate study conducted by Good Technology found that the average American puts in a month and a half of overtime in a year, just by answering calls and emails at home.
31% of respondents admit that they continue working at home because they find it difficult to ‘switch off’.
This continues to affect work/life balance with 68% of people checking work emails before 8am, 50% checking their emails while still in bed, 40% continuing to check work emails after 10pm, and 69% of respondents saying that they would not go to bed without checking their work email.
If those statistics aren't frightful enough, there seem to be a whole range of conditions linked to smartphone overuse.
Have you heard about Text Claw? Text Claw is a non-medical term used to describe finger cramping and sore muscles that come from continuous scrolling, texting, and gaming on smartphones. Tendinitis, Carpal Tunnel and Cell Phone Elbow are also afflicting chronic over users.
Love your iPhone? 84% of surveyed young adults in the UK are developing iPosture or Text Neck, phrases GPs are now using to describe excessive stress placed on the neck muscles from too much time hunched over smartphones, tablets and computers.
Did you know mobile phones can be a real eye sore? No really they can! Staring at smartphones is leading to a sharp rise in eye conditions such as eyestrain, blurred vision, dizziness, dry eyes and even headaches.
Have you ever felt anxious about not having your mobile phone with you? You could be suffering from Nomophobia (no-mobile-phone phobia), a fear of being without mobile phone contact. Yes, this is a real phobia! It seems you may not be alone with 66% of people surveyed in the UK admitting that they have a fear of losing or being without their mobile phones at any given time. Symptoms include anxiety or negative physical symptoms presenting if you have misplaced or cannot use your phone, obsessively checking that you have your phone with you, or constant worrying about losing it.
If you find it hard to believe that Nomophobia is a thing, then strap yourself in because Phantom Pocket Vibration Syndrome is a thing too. An American study found that 89% of subjects experienced phantom vibrations when their phones didn't actually message. The subjects who were dependent on texts and social media updates also became anxious when their phones weren't vibrating.
Can’t get to sleep? It appears our mobile phone usage is also affecting us while we (try to) sleep. An Ofcom survey found that 8 out of 10 of people use their smartphones overnight, with half using them as an alarm clock. Experts are worried that this is making mobile users ‘hyper vigilant’, as they are not getting the restorative sleep they actually need due to the short bursts of light coming from message alerts. In some people mobile phone usage beside the bed is also triggering insomnia and other sleeping problems.
Mobile phone usage can also affect our relationships. This is an interesting point. On one hand our smartphones have become a lifeline to the rest of the world, allowing people to stay in touch constantly. On the other hand, there is nothing more scintillating then attending a party or social event, only to have everyone looking at or playing on their phones instead of interacting personally (can you taste a hint of sarcasm). During a social experiment, researchers actually found that mobile phone usage is detrimental to our attempts at interpersonal relations, and this happens by diverting our attention away from the current connection we are trying to make.
Smartphones really are marvelous inventions, but perhaps like all good things it should be one we all utilise in moderation. If your phone becomes your obsession due to work or social reasons, you should be mindful on how your usage could be affecting your personal relationships or well-being. If you are noticeably absent to family or friends due to too much mobile screen time, then do yourself a favour and take regular breaks away from your phone. Powering down your mobile phone could be just the thing you need in order to recharge yourself.
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