Smartphone Usage: The Horrible Cost Behind Using Your Smartphone and its Consequences on Productivity and Mental Health
- Loreen Lu
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
Article written by: Loreen Lu
Article designed by: Loreen Lu & Palak Tiwari
We live in a world where our whole lives revolve around digital devices, like our phones. Whether it’s using them as alarm clocks, calendars, for entertainment purposes, or social contact, the line between being a helpful tool and a harmful distraction is becoming increasingly blurred. While smartphones might offer conveniences that may otherwise not be available, there’s more and more research showing the consequences of their unchecked use: diminished productivity and deteriorating mental health.
It’s no secret that smartphones can be distracting, but the extent of their impact is startling. According to Science Direct, which has gathered data from many sources, “interruptions as brief as 2.8 s disrupted participants' flow of concentration and led to increased errors on a sequence-based cognitive task”. This highlights how even just a little distraction can affect human productivity, let alone spending countless hours on your phone. According to Neostella, “Constant interruptions such as going in-and-out of meeting mode, can be costly when it comes time to snap back into focus. Studies show it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to return to a task after an interruption, including unnecessary meetings or app switching.” The amount of time needed to recover from that small break furthers the huge impact your smartphone has on your productivity.
While smartphones are designed to make our lives more efficient, the constant pings of messages, emails, and app alerts often break up our time and attention, leading to poorer performance and increased errors.
Productivity isn’t the only thing that is being impacted by these devices - in fact, their impact on mental health is even more alarming. According to Common Sense Media, around 50% of kids(teens) feel ‘addicted’ to their phones. Screen time not only takes a toll on their physical, social, and academic life but it also impacts their mental health and how they can cope with these things. Instead of coping in ways related to real life, many people are finding release in an online setting. Not only that, but there is a bunch of content online that promotes unrealistic standards and can lead to habits such as self-comparison. Over time, this can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and depression.
From the improvement of technology in smartphones, there has been evidence of a direct correlation between suicide rates and smartphone usage.
A comprehensive study by Nature states that, “Research has linked the amount of screen time to mental health difficulties, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Researchers have consistently found a positive association between the amount of screen time and suicidal thoughts.”
Personally, just simple acts of scrolling through Instagram Reels to laugh at TikTok Lives can make me feel inadequate. The more time we spend online comparing ourselves to others, the more our self-esteem and mental health suffers and deteriorates.
To be clear, smartphones aren’t inherently harmful. They’re powerful tools that can make our lives more efficient when used correctly. When used without control, they can turn into something that controls our lives rather than a tool. With the growing digital age, employers and educators have started expanding on this topic, whether that be implementing “focus hours” or “tech-free zones” to reduce smartphone distractions. On the other hand, big tech companies have also realized this issue and have created systems such as Apple Screen Time and Study Bunny that both have the goal of helping users limit their digital usage and regain control of their lives.
Of course, with the current digital age, it's going to be difficult to keep off your phone despite the negative impact it could have on you. However, using it the right way can make your life a whole lot easier, so use your devices the right way!
Our challenge today isn’t just to connect—it’s to know when to disconnect. So starting with us, right now, right here, let’s put our phones down and prioritize something away from the smartphone.
Sources
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853217300159#:~:text=Even%20brief%20interruptions%20may%20undermine,further%20undermine%20work%2Drelated%20productivity.
https://www.neostella.com/customservices/article/why-context-switching-is-hurting-productivity/#:~:text=Constant%20interruptions%20such%20as%20going%20in%2Dand%2Dout%20of,interruption%2C%20including%20unnecessary%20meetings%20or%20app%20switching.
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