By India McCarty
Jonathan Haidt is encouraging us to try this one simple habit to get our days off on the right foot.
“The very first thing [people] do in the morning is check their phone for notifications,” he said in a video for the World Economic Forum. “They don’t get out of bed, they don’t go to the bathroom, they don’t make coffee; it’s the phone. And what’s the last thing they do before they close their eyes at night? Same thing. It’s the phone.”
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Haidt, the author of bestselling The Anxious Generation, explained that this can impact the way you live your life.
“One of the things that I strongly encourage all of my students to do and I encourage all adults to do: make a list of the first five things you do after you open your eyes,” he explained. “Look at it and say, ‘Is that really what I want?’ And find ways to change it.”
Haidt concluded, “If we don’t start with digital habits, then all is lost.”
The social psychologist has made it a point to raise awareness about the dangers of spending too much time on social media or smartphones.
When asked to give advice to Gen Z at a recent talk at NYU, Haidt said, “Get all of the slot machine apps off your phone…don’t waste your time posting. Don’t look at other people’s posts, especially strangers.”
“Get it off your phone,” he added, “because your phone is always with you.”
Haidt even took his anti-tech message directly to children with recent book, The Amazing Generation: A Guide to Freedom and Fun in a Screen-Filled World, written with young readers in mind.
“Young people are the ones who have been most impacted by the negative effects of smartphones. They’re the targets, and it’s important for them to have the facts about screens, social media, and the tech companies that manipulate them for profit,” Haidt told Publishers Weekly. “That’s why The Amazing Generation has all of the same facts as The Anxious Generation, just in a kid-friendly format.”
He continued, “Kids should also know how much power they hold! They can make their own choices about technology and how and when they allow it into their lives. Catherine [Price, his co-author] and I created what we’ve coined ‘The Rebel’s Code.’ A rebel doesn’t let technology use them — they use it as a tool. Our goal in writing this book was to arm kids with the facts and empower them to stand up for themselves by choosing a life not dominated by screens.”
It can be overwhelming to think about tackling your tech dependence, but Haidt’s tips give you a good place to start making a change in your life!
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