First introduced in 1992, smartphones have become a vital part of our everyday lives, from managing our finances to communicating with loved ones. The frequent use of them and other tech devices can be draining and distracting, and it’s still challenging for most people to cut down. According to a 2023 survey by Reviews.org, Americans check their phones 144 times a day on average. Anastasia Dedyukhina, a digital wellbeing expert, told CNBC Make It that constantly looking at your smartphone can negatively impact the depth of your conversations.

She says, “If I had my smartphone next to me, it would attract my attention, consciously or unconsciously. I would also keep thinking about it because, for our minds, a smartphone and the sound of a smartphone is a highly attractive stimuli. So when I hear my phone ringing and make a notification, for my mind, it’s the same as if you were calling me by my name.” Frequently switching between tasks can have consequences on your health, according to Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, who wrote a book about attention span and how to refocus when distracted.

Shifting what you’re focusing on often can increase levels of stress, require more mental effort to complete tasks and cause feelings of frustration and time pressure, Mark told Fast Company in 2008. Dedyukhina says, “Rather than trying to limit the bad habits, I would very much encourage you to have more good habits.” A few healthy habits that she recommends adding to your routine include spending more time outdoors, move your body often, schedule time to hang out with your friends and family. It’s even better if you plan an activity to do together.

Perhaps one of the best ways you can be more mindful about your relationship with technology is by “removing gadgets out of your sight completely” during certain times of the day, Dedyukhina notes. The simple practice of “not having your smartphone next to you when you’re working if you don’t need it” can help you to achieve more and increase your productivity, she says. In a 2017 study of more than 500 undergraduate students, researchers randomly assigned participants to place their smartphones on their desks, in their pockets/bags or in a separate room as they completed cognitive capacity tests.

Each group’s members were told to put their phones on silent to prevent any interrupting sounds during the experiment. Participants who left their phones in a separate room while answering the questions scored the highest, and those who kept their phones on their desks scored the lowest. “Remember, it’s a high priority, the phone, so subconsciously, your mind is thinking, ‘What if I’m missing something? What if there is something interesting?’” Dedyukhina says.

She says, “So in a way, you’re not dedicating 100% of your energy to what you’re doing, whether you’re communicating with somebody, whether you’re learning or whether you’re working.” In the end, it’s best to ask yourself what’s triggering you to reach for your phone so often in the first place.