Looks like we’re now even more addicted to our phones

Credit: Apple

I might have found another reason to hate the coronavirus lockdown even more.

Now I can see what my real screen use habits are. 

Being in lockdown reveals our daily habits more prevalently. Many iPhone users were shocked by how much their screen time has increased during the coronavirus. Many people are using apps like YourHour to track the amount of time they spend on their phones. 

The main reason? Our screen time usage has gone through the roof thanks to the lockdown.

During the first week of quarantine, some reported that their iPhone usage had skyrocketed by as much as 33%. One person reported spending 22 hours on screen time in one day. The average media use is expected to rise to over 11 hours per day this year alone. Smartphone addiction isn’t new — the average Millennial spends almost six hours per day on their phone.

While it’s unclear just how drastic the consequences of the uptick in phone usage will be, experts say that extra screen time could have long-term implications on mental health. Excessive screen time is linked to sleeping problems, habit-forming behavior, and a greater tendency towards violence. 

With the sudden disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone’s day is full of distractions with little to no accountability for staying on schedule. Consider making a chart to plan out the day. Creating a new routine will help you focus on your work and keep you from checking your smartphone a million times throughout the day. 

Coronavirus is showing us our habits that already existed — we are only noticing them now because it has created a space where our tendencies are more apparent. Maybe this will be a wake-up call for those who need it.

The bad news? We can only guess what will happen in the post-Coronavirus world. 

What are the long-term implications of spending so much time on our smartphones? If being in lockdown creates stronger technology addictions in parents and children, what will it look like when they return to their everyday lives? 

There are many questions that are unanswered. If there’s one thing about this pandemic that’s positive, it’s having our bad habits revealed to us. 

Maybe this awakening will help us make better choices and change our habits. Or, maybe we’ll all slip into an eternal, insurmountable pit of Netflix and YouTube. Only time will tell.