Make healthier phone habits (Picture: Getty)
Staring at your phone and seeing you have less than 10% can really put a dampener on your day – and even feel catesphrophic for some people.
This is especially the case if you have important plans – like going out for dinner or to a gig.
In fact, new research has found that 57% fear their phone running out of battery at a show, leaving them unable to find someone they’ve lost in the crowd.
This ‘charge anxiety’ is a very real phenomenon – all down to our over-reliance on smartphones, say experts.
Kate Brockhurst, a digital wellbeing coach, explains: ‘The anxiety felt around running out of battery is very understandable, as our phones give us a sense of security on many levels; from being contactable by family, friends and work, to knowing where to get to (maps) to checking the time.
‘Our reliance on our mobile devices, particularly when out and about, is huge – and not having it can make us feel unsafe and anxious.’
But there are very real concerns surrounding a dead phone battery too.
‘Low battery could cause a pause in this sense of connection, bring up fear of missing out on something important, or missing a call or message from work or loved ones in crisis,’ explains Smriti Joshi is lead psychologist at Wysa.
‘We seemed to have forgotten that there was life and a sense of connectedness and communication exchanges, even when phones were not there.’
If you find you regularly encounter ‘charge anxiety’, experts have shared some things to try.
Practice being without your device
Go out without your phone (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
To help alleviate ‘charge anxiety’ practice being without a mobile device, in safe spaces and places that you know well, explains Kate.
She says: ‘Taking a walk around the block, or local park, regularly (a few times a week ideally), or popping to the local shops, without your phone – on purpose – shows you that you are OK and still safe without it.’
This means you’ll be used to being uncontactable.
‘Start with 10 minuties and work up to at least 30 minutes, everyday,’ Smriti says.
‘Use this time to be mindful of your surroundings, connect with yourself, using your breath to anchor you in the moment. This will help you feel relaxed and calm.’
Take longer periods before checking
Smriti says it’s important to remind yourself that you’re not going to miss out on anything vitally important if you check your phone occasionally, rather than checking every few minutes and immediately checking notifications.
She says: ‘We’ve all been in situations where we keep checking our phone for an update from someone, yet nothing changes for hours.’
This should help lessen anxiety around not being reachable for a few hours.
More: Lifestyle
Remember phone numbers or carry a note of them
‘It can help to carry any important phone numbers on you in an old-school format so that, if you do run out of power, you can still reach people in an emergency,’ says Smriti
‘This way there will always be a way to get in touch, even if it means asking a stranger if you can make an emergency call from their phone.’
How to make phone habits healthier:
To help you cut down on your phone use, experts have provided some helpful tips:
Turn off notificaitons
Set a timer
Turn things grey (to make apps less appealing)
Resist ‘always on culture’
Put your phone physically away from you
Be wary of Doomscrolling
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‘Our reliance on our mobile devices is huge and not having it can make us feel unsafe and anxious.’
