An Extra Limb

Before I start this post I'd just like to let you know that I'll be blogging every day this week, so make sure you're following me on Twitter (@PetalsofPerfect) to keep updated of when I upload! 

When did my phone become an extra limb? When was it when I knew I couldn't go a day without it? 

When I was younger we did not have high-tech flashy touchscreen phones, we just about had a Nokia 'brick phone' which had the odd game of snake on it and you could only call and text. We then moved on to more advanced phones that had a flip screen or a side keyboard. I remember having my first ever phone in year 6 (I think) so when I was around 9/10 years old. I used it purely for calling my grandparents or parents to let them know I'm walking home from school. I think I rarely texted on it or used it when I was at home, but it made me feel like I had some kind of freedom and responsibility. 

Fast forward 10 years and here we are now. I'm 20 years old, with an iphone 6 and I would do anything to rewind back 10 years ago. Phones have developed so quickly and it is amazing how we all just naturally adapt to them. They have become part of our lives, we can't go anywhere without them. When I was younger, I'd leave my phone in my room all day and not even give it a second thought, I didn't need it by my side constantly or even switched on for that matter, so why now has it become an extra limb? I can't even go downstairs without taking it with me incase I get a text, call, Snapchat, tweet, Facebook notification or message. Why does this suddenly matter to me? Why do I NEED to open that Snapchat straight away? The time between my Nokia 6111 and my iphone 6 is so blurred, I don't quite know when my phone became a limb. I could be wrong but I think in 2008 apps became a thing and that's when we were able to access the likes of Twitter and Facebook on our phones. I think this is where it all changed for me.

I've become so sucked into the social media digital world to the point I have forgotten what the real world is actually like. Of course social media had given me so many opportunities with blogging, meeting friends online and of course meeting Rich on Twitter, but sometimes I wish it didn't exist and I know I'm not alone in this. I spend every breathing second of everyday on social media, switching from app to app for no purpose or reason at all, I'll do it sometimes without even realising. Rich and I are both guilty of spending more time on our phones than actually spending time together. We've now both realised this and hopefully we can make changes.

A couple of weeks ago I took a break from social media, I deleted all of the apps on my phone for a day (I know it doesn't sound like a long time but believe me, it helped) and I found myself to be checking my phone for notifications or going on my phone to click on the Twitter app but it wasn't there. It scared me to think that my mind and body just naturally does this now, I automatically go on to my phone and click on all the possible social media apps, even when I know they're not there. 

After a day or two I began to look at my phone less and actually do things with my life. I found I had more time to watch TV, blog, go out and actually enjoy time with friends. After a couple of days I reinstalled the apps on my phone and I was actually surprised at how little I went on them. So after just a day or two of not having the apps on my phone I noticed a massive difference, it felt like a massive detox that was well and truly needed. I invest too much of my time on social media and I can see how much it has affected my mood. My timeline will be filled with so much negativity, which I understand is normal as not everyone can be happy all the time, but I noticed how negative it made me feel. I thought to myself, "I don't need to be reading all of this" ... yes, it's nice to be updated and feel in the loop, but not checking my phone for a day or even just an hour, won't be the end of my life. I can live without it and I need to remember that. 

I strongly urge all of you to delete your social media apps for at least a day and see if you can notice a difference like I did, see if it affects your mood in any way. You'll be surprised at how much time you spend on your phone and how often you go to check your social media. 

Do you feel like you've gained an extra limb? Do you find yourself feeling lost without your phone?

Let me know in the comments below your thoughts on this and whether you feel the same!