How Addicted Are Americans to Their Phones?
It’s no secret that we’re addicted to our phones. Hours of our daily routines are absorbed by mindlessly scrolling through social media and chatting with digital friends and family. Phones are so addictive that some people have literal separation anxiety when they have to spend time away from their notifications.
A feature recently rolled out by Apple allows users to see exactly how attached to their phones they are. The screen time report reveals insights into how long users are spending on their phones and what apps they dedicate the most time on. Seeing these numbers is slightly horrific, but at the same time incredibly fascinating.
It’s scary to see the hard data behind the time you waste on your phone. Those are hours lost that could have been spent doing literally anything else to be more productive. The one saving caveat here is that you’re definitely not alone. Universally, people spend way too much time on their mobile devices.
But don’t take our word for it. A recent survey by SimpleTexting.com gathered screen time data from people across the United States. They broke the data down by state, gender, and generation to determine who spends the most time on their phones.
Millennials Average Over 200 Minutes A Day
It’s no surprise that Millennials spend the most time on their phones than their older counterparts. Their projected annual screen time would average out to be a full 52 days each year. Baby Boomers and Generation Xers are not completely disconnected though. They spend an average of 34 and 43 days on their phone each year, respectively.
Women Spend 20 More Minutes Scrolling Each Day
Females spend an average of 187 minutes on their phone each day, while males spend about 167. Men and women share similar habits on their phone – the most used app for both genders is Facebook. Other frequently used apps include Reddit, Instagram, YouTube, and Safari.
Phone Usage by State
The average screen time by US state varies significantly. States with the highest usage are Arizona, Connecticut, and Nevada – all spending over four hours on their phones each day. Oklahoma, Oregon, and Vermont have averages less than half of the top states at just over two hours per day.
Why are some states more disconnected than others? It’s hard to explain. It could be purely coincidence, though the stark contrast between top and bottom states seems to indicate some intervening factor. This could point to the varying cultures and norms within America.
The moral of the story is, it’s hard for anyone to unplug. Though some may spend more minutes online than others, we all share the same attachment to our phones. If you’re looking to cut back, be mindful of the time you spend on your phone and consider enabling features that help you limit your minutes.
