After exploring the hidden tolls of smartphone use, this final installment in our series is dedicated to empowering you with practical strategies for reclaiming your focus, reducing tech stress, and fostering a more fulfilling Power of 5 Life. These strategies are based on lessons from Dr. Gazzaley and Dr. Rosen and Power of 5 principles.

1. Be Mindful of Usage

Be intentional about when and how you use your smartphone. Schedule specific times for checking emails and social media instead of constant monitoring.

2. Manage Your Notifications

Turn off non-essential notifications. Reduce the constant pings and buzzes that disrupt your focus and those around you. Did you know it can take as much of a full minute to refocus your attention after a disruption such as a notification or interruption? There is also a chemical impact from the release of cortisol (stress hormone) or dopamine (pleasure hormone) with each notification.

3. Create Tech-Free Zones and Times

Designate specific areas such as bedrooms and/or eating areas. Discourage technology at specific times such as during meals and before bed.

4. Apply the 20-20-20 Rule for Eye Strain

While not necessarily related to stress, this rule to reduce eye strain recommends taking a 20-second break to focus on something 20 feet away every 20 minutes to reduce digital eye strain. In some ways, this can serve as another break from unhealthy social media or internet scrolling.

5. Practice Single-Tasking

Consciously focus on one task at a time. Put your phone away or set a timer for an acceptable time limit and give your full attention to what you’re doing. Understand that this requires intention and discipline. I heard Dr. Rosen discuss this during an NPR interview on Here & Now on April 3, 2025. It’s worth listening to this:  https://one.npr.org/i/wburwp-1006074:wburwp-1006074-2

6. Be Mindful and Meditate

Encourage practices that help train your attention and reduce mental clutter, counteracting the effects of a distracted mind. Designate a special place for sitting quietly away from the phone for the single focus of minimizing brain activity.

7. Prioritize Sleep

We have all been learning about the importance of sleep for the health of our mental and physical health. Establish a firm tech-free bedtime routine to improve sleep quality and reduce stress.

8. Connect Meaningfully

Intentionally incorporate more face-to-face interactions and less reliance on digital communication in our lives for meaningful connections (aligning with the Sex/Socialization element of Power of 5).

9. Create a Positive Mindset

My friend and colleague, noted professor of sports psychology, Bob Weinberg, recommends developing and maintaining a positive thought process versus negative self-talk as a way to reclaim focus, reduce stress, and succeed in completion of a task.

What Will You Do?

Smartphones, while powerful, demand mindful engagement. By understanding the impact of constant connectivity and multitasking on our nervous system, informed by the insight from Adam Gazzaley and Larry Rosen, we can take proactive steps toward a healthier balance by developing a mindful relationship with technology.

Let this series serve as a commitment to cultivating a more intentional relationship with technology. By prioritizing our well-being and actively reclaiming our focus, we can truly embrace a less stressed and more fulfilling Power of 5 Life.

We are eager to hear your experiences and strategies for managing smartphone stress. What has been the greatest takeaway that will guide you to prioritize your health as it relates to the use of technology? Please share your thoughts with me at [email protected]

For more empowering insights and practical strategies to enhance your well-being, subscribe to the Power of 5 Life newsletter and follow us on Substack! Let’s continue this journey to a healthier and happier you, together.

Don’t forget to share this post with those in your life to inspire them on their own wellness journey!

To a long and healthy life,
David Bernstein, MD

A human (David Bernstein) generated this blog content with the polishing aid of artificial intelligence.