If you have some spare time, you'll most likely pick up your phone and mindlessly spend your time looking through all your apps until you've checked everything. But according to recent research from Rutgers University, this habit might not be the best for your brain.
In the study, published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 414 people had to solve 20 total anagrams, or a "set of jumbled letters that can be rearranged to form one or more words," either on a phone, computer, or on the Internet. paper. Some participants were given a break after solving 10, where they were instructed to choose three things to buy at a store, again using a smartphone, computer, or paper. Then they solved the remaining 10 puzzles.
«This task was chosen because it could be done realistically, via a paper document or online, had no relation to the focal task, and was common enough to be a real break.as the study explained. Study participants who did not take a break continued to solve all 20 anagrams directly.
The results were amazing. Those who used the phones during the break they took 19% more time to finish the rest of the puzzles and they solved 22% fewer of them than those who used the computer or a piece of paper during the break. However, people who used the phones did slightly better than people who didn't take a break.
Why? Although researchers aren't entirely sure, the reason for this may have to do with the fact that it's hard for your brain to switch focus between different things so quickly. The researchers suspect that because we use our phones for so many things, many of which are addictive in their own right, looking at your phone makes you think of so many other things and makes it harder to switch back to what you were previously trying to focus on.
It is better not to use the mobile until we finish what we are doing
It is the phone itself that triggers this cognitive decline, not specific actions like checking Twitter or replying to a text message. Instagram. However, depending on the person, one app might absorb someone more than another, simply based on their preferences or interests.
But since it's not entirely practical for people not to use their phones at all, experts suggest not looking at your phone while you're working on an important task that needs your full attention until it's done.
It is also useful give yourself more time to make the transition on and off mobile use between tasks; instead of just jumping right into whatever we're going to do next.
This not only applies to work-related projects, but also to training. Since it's so important to concentrate On the road and any obstacles in front of you when you're training, the safest option is to wait until you're done with your routine to check for missed notifications.
However, another recent study found that playing games on the phone could help relieve stress more than specific apps, so like most everything else, everything in moderation.