How have we been using our smartphones? Has our screen time increased? Or, is the smartphone ruining relationships. Vivo India is back with its latest edition of the Switch Off campaign, which launched in 2019 to address the issue of excessive digital exposure. Over the last few years, smartphone usage has increased drastically. Conducted in association with Cybermedia Research, this year’s study showcases the impact of smartphones on users and its effect on spousal relationships.
Impact on spousal relationship
With the smartphone always around, 84 per cent people agree that the device has become an extension of us. For 90 per cent people, the smartphone is the most preferred way to relax and only 55 per cent people confess to spending leisure time with family members.
On an average, 4.7 hours are spent on the smartphone per day and the figure applies to both people in a relationship. Further, 89 per cent respondents confessed to spending less time engaging in relaxed conversations with the spouse while 67 per cent confessed to being on the phone while spending time with the spouse. The study shows that 70 per cent respondents got irritated when the spouse asked for something while they were immersed in their smartphones.
Smartphone is hurting spousal relationships
The latest edition of Switch Off report shows that over 66 per cent of the partners feel that the smartphone has “temporarily hurt their relationship with the spouse” while 68 per cent of the partners have felt guilty at some point for being distracted by their phone while spending time with their spouse.
On the one hand, 67 per cent of people confessed to being on their phones even while they’re spending time with their spouse whereas 89 per cent people said that they spend less time engaging in relaxed conversation with the spouse than possible.
Smartphone addiction
In the last few years, our smartphone usage has gone through the roof and it is affecting our health. The study has found that 86 per cent respondents agree that the phone is the last thing that they see before hitting the bed while 58 per cent use smartphones while having their meals and 60 per cent use it in living room. And 60 per cent people also use the smartphone while spending time with the family.
Impact of smartphone usage
On an average, each smartphone user has 1.5 hours as leisure time in a day. Most of them like to spend the time with family members, however, they carry their smartphones while being around them. Further, 68 per cent of people spend time texting/calling each other on the smartphone even though they are in the same house
We can’t switch off the smartphone
The study shows 89 per cent people feel the urge to reach out and pick up the smartphone as soon as there is some free time while 88 per cent respondents spend “leisure time” on the smartphone.