0
0
Smartphone use in Austria: Many feel stressed by constant availability and are increasingly turning to digital detox measures.
In the age of mobile communication, the boundaries between work and private life are becoming blurred. This is shown by the latest “Smartphone Survey” from Deloitte. For this survey, 500 mobile phone users were questioned in a representative online survey. For some, 15 weeks, for others, several times a week. “This poses a risk to mental health,” says Florian Brence, partner at Deloitte Austria. Sixteen percent often feel stressed by being constantly available at work. Thirteen percent feel inner restlessness or even the compulsion to check their cell phones continually.
For many people, cell phones have become indispensable not only at work but also in their private lives. Half use their smartphones very often, and over a quarter even think they use them far too often. Almost a third (31 percent) use their phones for between two and three hours a day, and nearly a quarter (21 percent) even spend four or five hours a day on their phones.
“The younger generation in particular is heavily attached to smartphones. As our study shows, a large proportion of heavy users are between 14 and 29 years old,” says Florian Brence. “Mobile phones are primarily used as a means of communication, for example for messaging or making calls. But surfing the internet and social media activities are also among the top activities.”
Even though cell phones are practical in everyday life, many people now view their own consumption critically. A large proportion of Austrians (59 percent) would like to reduce the amount of time they spend on their smartphones each day. Over 60 percent are already taking concrete measures to achieve this: 27 percent turn off the sound, 19 percent repeatedly put their cell phones out of reach. Eighteen percent have turned off push notifications, and 16 percent set fixed screen-free times. “More conscious smartphone use and digital detox are currently trending. However, it is unlikely that the general public will radically abandon digital devices in the future,” says Florian Brence.
- source: heute.at/picture:
This post has already been read 2 times!
