A major problem is that people aren't sure what to do with the extra time that they have because the habit of reaching for their phones is so deeply ingrained. You'd need a whole other essay: "If not smartphones then what DOES make your life meaningful and satisfying?"
Thanks for your question. It's complicated with no one-size-fits-all, but I'll share some thoughts in case they are helpful.
For me, the shift happened gradually, in conjunction with joining a bunch of communities, which helped give me companionship and something to do.
Another thought is that "fear of not having something to do" sounds to me more like an unease/stress about things that you want to avoid being with - thoughts popping up, memories, tensions etc. In this case, I recommend finding better ways to deal with unease, either things like meditation (hard) or some healthier copes: https://honestliving.substack.com/p/a-two-part-system-for-practical-self
Finally, maybe having a period of no phone, cutting it completely (similar to intermittent fasting) would be a helpful, clear way to move forward. I tried finding good books about this, but can't recommend any because of mixed reviews and no personal reading history.
A major problem is that people aren't sure what to do with the extra time that they have because the habit of reaching for their phones is so deeply ingrained. You'd need a whole other essay: "If not smartphones then what DOES make your life meaningful and satisfying?"
Thanks for your question. It's complicated with no one-size-fits-all, but I'll share some thoughts in case they are helpful.
For me, the shift happened gradually, in conjunction with joining a bunch of communities, which helped give me companionship and something to do.
Another thought is that "fear of not having something to do" sounds to me more like an unease/stress about things that you want to avoid being with - thoughts popping up, memories, tensions etc. In this case, I recommend finding better ways to deal with unease, either things like meditation (hard) or some healthier copes: https://honestliving.substack.com/p/a-two-part-system-for-practical-self
Finally, maybe having a period of no phone, cutting it completely (similar to intermittent fasting) would be a helpful, clear way to move forward. I tried finding good books about this, but can't recommend any because of mixed reviews and no personal reading history.
Hope this helps, good luck out there