Research reveals worst phone habits Brits want to kick this year

A POLL of 2,000 smartphone owners found 47 per cent want to cut their mobile use down this year.

Among the top 25 habits people want to break were scrolling until they fall asleep, constantly checking for notifications and never cleaning their device.

Others admit to browsing on the loo, opening social media as soon as they wake up and using their device during mealtimes, all of which are behaviours they want to cut out.

The research was commissioned by giffgaff and found the average person spends three hours a day on their device, while Gen Z’s spend more than five.

And almost a third (31 per cent) of respondents admitted to checking their phone within 10 minutes of waking up every day, with a further 30 per cent doing so most days.

Kicking off the new year, users want to adopt positive behaviours including deleting unused apps regularly (30 per cent) and setting daily screen time limits (15 per cent).

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Leaving devices in a bag or pocket so they can be ‘in the moment’ and avoiding carrying it around the house, specifically to the bathroom, are other healthy patterns people are keen to live by.

A spokesperson for giffgaff said: “Our mobiles are an everyday essential, they are our wallets, cameras, maps and play host to many of life’s biggest moments so it’s hard to imagine not using them.

“But it’s clear people are keen to use their phone to keep on top of more positive habits like clearing their storage.

“We’re a photo obsessed nation, shown by the top habit people want to kick, as well as the fact duplicate photos take up space which could be used for other things, making some small changes this year could have a big impact.

“Whether that’s screen-free time, sorting through apps and photos each month or leaving our phones in a different room.”

The research also found almost a quarter (23 per cent) have tried a digital detox, but for 18 per cent of them it lasted less than a day.

Despite 62 per cent admitting they couldn’t live without their phone, one in 10 plan to or have already switched to a dumbphone which has no access to the internet or apps.

But 36 per cent would struggle to take videos or photos without their device, while 23 per cent wouldn’t even know what time it is and 22 per cent wouldn’t be able to pay for things.

Apps phone users would most like a break from are Facebook (26 per cent), Instagram (18 per cent) and TikTok (14 per cent).

Similarly, 37 per cent of all those polled via OnePoll.com reckoned they spend too much time on social media, while this more than double for Gen Zs alone (77 per cent)

Data is impacted by habits, as 11 per cent admitted they never have enough space on their phone and more than one in 20 (seven per cent) often run out before the end of the month.

giffgaff has partnered with behavioural psychologist, Jo Hemmings, to help Brits improve their phone habits this year, she said: “Our devices tap into the need for connection, reassurance, and reward and every notification offers the promise of something important.

“Our brains learn to stay on high alert and this constant state of readiness fragments our attention and pulls us out of the present moment.

“Instead of using our phones as helpful tools, many of us find ourselves responding automatically – checking before we’ve even decided why.

“When we reclaim that sense of choice, we don’t just change our phone habits; we improve our focus, our relationships, and our overall sense of wellbeing.”