The True Cost of Apps

Certain apps can inspire the dreaded FOMO more than others. And I’m not just talking about social media. I’m also including email, shopping, news, games, social media apps.

Notifications perpetuate the fear of missing out:

• I’ll miss what my friends are doing on Facebook

• I’ll miss my chance to get a deal on those cool shoes

• I’ll miss a call or text from a family member

• I’ll miss what’s breaking news and won’t be able to talk to people if I’m not up to date

• I’ll miss points on my game if I don’t log in every hour

It’s not just the fear of missing out that apps cause us to feel - it’s also the shame of not being enough. 

Not getting the best deal, not having the right clothes, not knowing every meme or news reference, not having enough points or winning your game, not looking as good as influencers on social media.

And to what cost? What cost are we paying for all our hours on our phones?

Losing time with our kids/family.

Losing sight of our personal or work goals.

Getting less sleep.

Feeling more exhausted than ever.

If you like shopping and playing games or your work requires you to see the news all day, that’s fine. I don’t want you to feel bad or shame you for your lifestyle.

I want you to think if you are feeling a strain on your sleep, focus on our personal relationships that you could take a closer look and see if you could help it by choosing how much time you spend on your phone.

I don’t want you to get rid of these apps (unless you decide you want to). This is about empowerment. 

You get to decide how you spend your time, and every time you go on a social media app is a choice.

So you decide.

What do you want to spend your time on?

How can you feel better about your time?

Let me know here.