Our phones have become an indispensable part of our lives. Statistics show an estimated half of those with mobile phones use them as their primary source for the internet. However, using our phones can often occupy time we should be spending on other pursuits. Here are some ways that spending too much time scrolling can cost you more than time.
We Want to Imitate What We See
It’s easy to think we’re just taking a break or killing time when we scroll through our social media accounts, but it seldom works that way. When we see postings from our friends or stories about admired celebrities, we often compare ourselves to them. If we see someone we admire extolling the benefits of a new product they bought or a diet they’ve just joined, we may wonder if we can feel the same way by purchasing what they’re promoting. Social media accounts capitalize on this because once you search for a product online, you’re guaranteed to be deluged with ads for similar products every time you check back onto our pages.
We Use the Internet Instead of Seeking Therapy
When you’re on your phone and feeling depressed, watching a comedy movie or going to a humor website to cheer you up is OK – once in a while. However, if your depression persists, it may be time to stop scrolling and make an appointment with a therapist. Continuing to play internet games or watching cats dance on TikTok may give you moments of laughter, but they can’t remove your depression permanently. If you don’t get help for your depression, it may begin to affect your performance at work and cost you your job.
We May Ignore the Cost of Internet Cookies
When we search for something to buy, and an ad leads us to a site where we’re asked to accept cookies, we may think those cookies are harmless. According to Media Feed, data tracking bots keep track of items you’ve searched for and then show you ads for similar products. Once you click on one of those ads, you’ll find the products on the new site will have higher prices. If your desire for that product has persisted, you may be tempted to buy it at an escalated cost.
We Answer Our Phones While Driving
Despite knowing that we shouldn’t be distracted while driving, too many of us answer our phones or text at traffic stops. It may seem like stopping for a red light will give us enough time to text, but that time goes faster than anticipated. No matter how careful we are, phone use while driving may lead to an accident and cost us too much in car repairs and increased insurance costs. The National Safety Council (NSC) has cited statistics showing that, in over 40% of car accidents that result in an injury or death, the driver was using a cell phone.
We Become Too Dependent on Our Phones
Our phones can bring us many benefits, and keep us in touch with those we need to reach. However, if we don’t have a backup for some of our documents and contact lists, it can become disastrous if we lose our phones. About 70 million smartphones are lost yearly – and less than 7% of them are recovered. If we must recreate our phone’s information, it can cost us considerable time and money.
Our phones are integral to our lives, and scrolling isn’t harmful if done in moderation. However, keep the above situations in mind and ask yourself if your scrolling has reached the level where it’s begun to cost you too much time or money. If you acknowledge this is happening, start by setting a timer to limit your scrolling time. If this doesn’t work, try telling yourself you can have your scrolling time after your work and house chores are done.
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