‘Phone addict’, 25, who would spend 12 HOURS a day browsing until she was called out for ‘rudeness’ reveals how she overcame her obsession: ‘I would sleep with it under my pillow’
- Téa Angelos couldn’t go without her phone for longer than 15 minutes
- The 25-year-old was completely addicted to her phone that it impacted her life
- After being called ‘rude’ by a friend, she took steps to overcome her addiction
- Téa listed five routine steps to help others do the same
A young woman who would spend more than 12 hours a day browsing on her phone has shared how she finally beat her additction.
Téa Angelos, from Brisbane, Australia, told Daily Mail Australia she would sleep with her phone under her pillow and often check notifications in the middle of the night.
The 25-year-old founder of education company Smart Women Society admitted she couldn’t go without her phone for longer than 15 minutes.
‘I often joke that my phone is an extension of my arm. Wherever my hand was, my phone was there with it. All jokes aside, I was addicted to my phone,’ she said.
Téa Angelos (pictured), from Brisbane, Australia, admitted she used to be completely addicted to her phone and often slept with it under her pillow at night
Téa said any moment she had to herself would instantly be filled by looking at her phone.
‘Between running my business, checking the news for updates and just general entertainment on social media, the hours racked up,’ she said.
‘I would eat breakfast, lunch and dinner while scrolling my phone (even whilst with company). I would take video calls and be glancing down to check my phone mid-meeting.’
The ‘turning point’ for Téa was when a friend called her out while eating dinner at a restaurant.
‘It went quiet for a moment and my friend looked at me “Téa, can you please put your phone away? You’re always on it and honestly, it’s rude”,’ she explained.
‘My face immediately felt flushed and despite apologising profusely, I was so deeply embarrassed. I knew I had to make a change.’
In order to transform her lifestyle, Téa utilised five easy-to-follow steps anyone can do.
Téa said any moment she had to herself would be filled by looking at her phone (stock image)
1. Make your bedroom a phone-free zone
First, Téa recommends making your bedroom a ‘phone-free zone’ by placing the device in another room to change overnight.
This will ensure you’re not tempted to use it before bed.
Next, create a pre-sleep routine that doesn’t involve any devices, such as reading, taking a bath or meditating.
Some may find it useful to plan a to-do list for the following day.
‘If you’re worried about your morning wake-up, buy an old-school alarm clock,’ she said.
2. Don’t check your phone as soon as you wake up
In the morning avoid checking your phone as soon as you awake for at least 30 minutes.
‘It will be hard at first but challenge yourself to tune into your surroundings and focus on your morning routine,’ Téa said.
She suggested using this time to do some breathing exercises, exercising, eating breakfast and getting into a ‘good headspace’ for the day ahead.
After being called ‘rude’ by her friend for constantly looking at her phone, even while out at dinner, she started taking steps to overcome her phone addiction. Téa outlined five steps to help others do the same
3. Turn off notifications
To remain productive throughout the day, turn off the notifications on your phone so you’re not tempted to check it when it rings.
Téa recommends using the ‘Do Not Disturb’ and ‘Focus’ features on your phone to silence notifications and alert others that you are not available.
4. Allocate specific times to check social media
You should allocate specific times of the day to check social media in order to overcome a phone addiction.
Téa said: ‘Put a time limit on these blocks and once the time has run out, stop and move on to your next task.’
This will help you stay in control over your phone usage while also feeling less guilty for checking social media.
To take this a step further, sign out of your accounts or delete the apps all together for a complete social media break.
5. Put your phone away when you’re with others
Lastly, always put your phone away when you’re with others.
Instead of leaving your phone on the table at a restaurant or at a friend’s house, leave it in your bag or in another room so you aren’t tempted to check it.
‘Another great hack is having all your friends put their phones in the middle of the table during dinner so that no one is able to go on their device,’ she said.
‘To spice it up, if anyone does check their phone for a non-approved purpose, they have to foot the entire bill.
‘With your partner, have an open conversation and set times where you won’t check your phone and focus your full attention on each other.’
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