Are Smartphones Causing Burnout (and What to Do about It)?

Smartphone burnout—it’s real, and it's affecting your well-being. 

Unchecked mobile usage can make you feel tired, frustrated, and mentally exhausted. It blurs boundaries between work and recreational time. It indirectly nudgesnudging us into a spiral of mental health issues with the onslaught of notifications. 

That’s because the unfiltered information forces our minds to work in overdrive. That mindless, borderline addiction can become a severe problem when you don’t cut back on screen time. 

You start noticing the symptoms when your work and personal commitments suffer. 

Is there a way to end smartphone burnout? 

Digital detox and mindfulness are smart ways to deal with most causes of burnout. Reducing screen time allows you to adopt an active and healthy lifestyle. In turn, helping you create a routine around mental, emotional, and physical well-being. 

This article explores the relationship between digital devices and mental health.  Then we share the best ways to deal with the problem. 

The Premise: What Is Smartphone Burnout? 

Smartphone burnout refers to the cognitive impairment experienced by mobile users. Experts suggest that excess screen time can affect your well-being. It disrupts sleep patterns, productivity levels, and emotional wellness. 

Mobiles are an indispensable fixture in our lives. We reach for our phones as soon as you have a spare moment (even when you don’t). Statista reveals that we spend at least 5-6 hours bouncing from one mobile app to another. 

That’s almost ⅓ of our waking time minus the digital hours spent on work-related activities.

Researchers tracked these activities and noticed an interrelation between smartphone use and stress. 

ScienceDirect reported a spike in the stress hormone (cortisol) caused by notifications. The triggers for digital stress varied based on participants’ emotional and mental health. Some people sat there dreading work emails others were fixated on doom scrolling. Texts also acted as instigators for miscommunication, confrontations, and social anxiety. 

The information overload overstimulates your mind. Indirectly it affects other body functions as the stress builds up during the day. The cycle of pings and dings continues at nighttime with the addition of your digitally-dependent recreational activities. 

Without mindful interventions, your mind stays at a high alert 24/7. Due to this, your energy levels start depleting. Signs of smartphone burnout include fatigue, exhaustion, cognitive impairment, and frequent memory lapse. You may also experience an emotional disconnection from others. 

That’s because digital connection can’t fill the void of healthy, meaningful relationships. 

What Are Some Signs of Burnout?

The causes of burnout might vary, but the symptoms remain the same. Warning signs include irritable mood, lack of motivation, change in sleeping and eating habits, lower immune health, etc. 

Smartphone burnout goes undetected if you remain unaware of the disruption it causes. Therefore, you must recognize the side effects before your symptoms escalate.

The HelpGuide lists high-stress jobs, perfectionism, poor work-life balance, and lack of a support system as leading reasons for burnout. 

Smartphones add to the pressure. Social media and texts can continuously remind you of everything wrong in your life and the world. You may start feeling helpless, unloved, and worthless because of it. 

You can shake off these negative emotions through self-check and regulation. 

Here are signs that indicate that you need help:

• Physical 

Some noticeable symptoms are unexplainable headaches, brain fog, muscle pain, and sleep deprivation. You may also experience fatigue and get sick more often. 

• Behavioral 

Procrastination and self-isolation can signal distress. You might even lash out at loved ones and colleagues when life becomes uncontrollable. 

• Emotional and Mental Health Issues 

Burnout can cause depression, anxiety, and frustration when you fail to meet daily targets. Additionally, you may develop lower self-esteem and a detachment from places, people, and activities you once loved. 

In short, smartphone-induced stress can lead to physical, behavioral, or emotional changes. You must watch out for these signs of distress. Then take preventive measures to maintain a healthier, stress-free lifestyle. 

The Cure: Does Digital Detox Work?

Digital detox works if you don’t revert to your old habits after going tech-free for a designated time. Try building a mindful relationship with your mobile instead of a forceful detox. You can do this by uninstalling apps, archiving threads, and setting a curfew. 

Our tech-dependent world makes going analog impossible. You need your phone to check up on work, family, and friends. It’s also the easiest way to call for help during emergencies.

The key to effective digital detox lies in self-awareness. Learn to differentiate purposeful phone usage from disruptive one. Intentional digital consumption can reduce the risk of smartphone burnout. 

Here are some goals you can set for the intentional digital detox: 

• Eliminate stress or anxiety-inducing online interactions.

• Cut down screen time in general and replace it with relaxing hobbies.

• You prioritize quality time with loved ones in real life instead of online. 

• You start using your smartphone for a purpose, not a distraction. 

• Ensuring you sleep well, eat nutritious meals and get some exercise instead of staying glued to your phone the whole day. 

You can tweak these goals to align with your routine and problems. Then take action to reach desired results. 

3 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Relationship with Your Smartphone

Mindful mobile usage means decluttering your device, reducing screen time, and switching off notifications. You should also create tech-free spaces around your home. That way, you can focus on work, chores, and hobbies instead of scrolling through social media feeds. 

Here’s a closer look at this digital detox plan: 

Declutter Your Digital Spaces 

Do you find yourself sorting through unwanted notifications? Sometimes important updates get buried by needless newsletters, posts, and social media accounts. Their presence does more than clog your phone. It drains your energy and time too. 

You may find yourself scrolling through posts that don’t add value to your life. The same goes for outdated subscriptions that create extra background noise to demand attention. 

Do an inventory by going through your online accounts. Then start unfollowing/unsubscribing people, brands, and accounts you’ve outgrown. 

It includes news channels and online influencers that sensationalize social stories instead of educating their audience. You should also let go of apps (or contacts) that add to your stress instead of reducing it. 

If it’s impossible to delete contacts, you can archive threads to keep them out of sight. This way, you gain more control of what you see when you open your social media apps. 

More importantly, you now have a social media feed that brings joy, motivation, and good vibes. It can make you feel lighter and less frazzled. 

Create Timeblocks for Mobile Phone Usage 

Sometimes decluttering your digital devices isn’t enough. You still have access to apps that can distract and distress you during the day. There’s a chance you can’t deactivate these accounts. These apps help you keep up with work and personal commitments. 

So how do you stop spending too much time on your smartphone?

Allotting time for emails, social media, and texting can limit unnecessary usage. 

Here are a few things you can do to create this schedule: 

• Keep your smartphone on silent mode (or do not disturb mode) to avoid unimportant notifications when you’re busy

• Allocate an hour or two for social media usage to prevent aimless scrolling 

• Schedule time to check emails mid-day or depending on your work schedule instead of refreshing the page every other hour 

• Text friends and family in the morning or after work instead of replying in real-time unless it’s an emergency 

You can install apps that monitor social media usage if you don’t trust yourself to follow this schedule. Most app blockers control your access to other apps. You can set a timer to track social media usage. Once you exceed the limit, the app will log you out itself. 

That way, you can curb temptation and focus on the important tasks. 

Set Healthy Boundaries and Curfews 

The Medical News Today lists revenge bedtime procrastination as one of the many causes of burnout. It’s when you spend the night scrolling through your feed and binging on series instead of sleeping. 

Multitasking can also accelerate smartphone burnout. 

You can keep these harmful habits in check by developing tech-free routines. 

Here are some ideas: 

• Stop bringing your smartphone to the dining table to practice mindful, slow eating.

• Place your phone away from the bed to ensure you don’t check messages in the middle of the night. 

• Set a curfew for digital devices by switching notifications off an hour or two before you head to bed. 

• Ensure your morning starts with meditation, breakfast, and office prep before you check your phone. 

• Avoid using your phone at work to retain productivity. 

These simple steps automatically reduce your screen time. It also prevents mobile usage from becoming an integral part of your downtime. As a result, you will have time to rest peacefully and stress less. 

Promote Wellness with Tech-Free Hobbies 

What should you do when you don’t use your phone?

Sitting idle can make it challenging to commit to your digital detox plan. Therefore, you should spend that free time engaged in tasks that don’t need an internet connection (or even a screen). 

Here’s what you can do: 

• Physical activities: Stretching, jogging, and workouts. 

• Mind-stimulating activities: Jigsaw puzzles, word search, crossword challenges, chess, and other old-school games. 

• Meditative hobbies: Gardening, crocheting, knitting, and yoga. 

• Creative pursuits: Mandala art therapy, playing musical instruments, creative writing, or painting. 

• Professional development goals: Enroll in in-person courses, join clubs and make new friends to expand your business network. 

• Socialize more: sign up for volunteer work, social groups or hang out with loved ones, 

Your main goal must be to focus on restorative rest and mindful recreation. Due to this, you develop mental resilience against everyday stressors. You also build a better support system and a healthier outlet to let go of negative thoughts and emotions. 

Pro-tip: Watch this quick tutorial on digital detox from NBC News for more ideas. 

Are You Ready to Beat the Burnout?

Smartphone burnout has become more common than you think. We’re all dealing with it on varying levels. You can evade harmful consequences by identifying signs of stress. Then take steps to rest and recover from the burnout through digital detox. 

Maintain a mindful relationship with your phone to reduce stress. Avoid making screen time your downtime. One way to do this would be to swap social media usage with recreational hobbies. Focus on activities that take care of your physical, emotional and social wellness. 

It can help you lead a tech-free lifestyle without consequences. 

So what are you waiting for? Drop that phone and start living mindfully. 

Good luck!