Phone addiction is a growing concern, with more than half of adults admitting they spend too long on their devices. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted earlier in the summer, 53% of respondents said they use smartphones too much, while 36% believed they used their phones “about the right amount”. The study drew on responses from nearly 10,000 adults aged 18 and over.
Age proved a significant factor. Among those aged 18 to 29, 70% felt they overused their phones, compared with 64% of those aged 30 to 49. Around 42% of the youngest group said they were on their phones “almost constantly”.
Estimates suggest people worldwide spend an average of 4 hours and 37 minutes per day on their phones, rising to 5 hours and 16 minutes in the United States, and check their devices around 58 times daily. Framed differently, five hours a day totals the equivalent of 76 full 24-hour days across a year.
The Risks of Excessive Screen Time
Heavy phone use carries serious consequences. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 3,208 people were killed in 2024 in road accidents caused by distracted driving, a category that includes drivers talking or texting. Reading or sending a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for around five seconds, which at 55mph equates to travelling the length of a full football field with eyes closed.
In the UK, First Aid for Life found that 41% of people had suffered some form of accident related to phone use. Research from Columbia University’s department of psychiatry links excessive device and social media use with anxiety, stress, depression, social isolation, feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and thoughts of self-harm.
The most commonly cited downside in the survey was reduced sleep, with 41% reporting that phone use affected how much rest they got. Meanwhile, 34% said their phone use harmed productivity, compared with 30% who said it helped.
How People Are Cutting Back
The Pew study found 45% of respondents had tried to reduce their phone use over the previous year, while 46% had not. Of those attempting to cut back, only 25% rated their efforts as extremely or very successful, and 52% described themselves as somewhat successful.
For iPhone users, one suggested method is hiding apps within a folder in the App Library. Placing additional barriers between a user and their most-used apps can help prevent the habit of mindlessly opening them out of boredom, creating friction that discourages reflexive scrolling.
The findings reflect a wider shift, as growing awareness of the effects of overuse prompts more people to reconsider their daily screen time. Among those aged 18 to 29, 42% still reported being on their phones almost constantly.
