The 5-Step Critical Process (Analysis 1)
Joan Hill
Salt Lake Community College
Comm 1500: Media and Society
Instructor Rachel Aubrey
October 16, 2022
Harnessing Creativity by Stepping Away from Your Phone
Challenge 1: Observe Yourself
Description/Analysis
Description: I observed how much time I spent on my phone this past week (October 9th-
15th) by checking the iPhone's Weekly Screen Report that is sent out every Sunday morning. I
first checked the overall amount of screen time, then the apps most used, amount of pickups, and
notifications last.
Analysis: On average, I spent six hours and 21 minutes a day on my phone. The top three
most used apps were TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat. I picked up my phone around 143 times a
day and received 137 notifications daily. Most of this time spent was when I was alone and/or
when I was feeling gloomy. I spent most of my time on TikTok but can hardly remember
anything I consumed. Apart from entertainment, every moment I had away from a task, even if it
was brief, I resorted to my phone.
Interpretation/Evaluation
Interpretation: Why do I resort to my phone when I’m alone and/or depressed and why do
I engage more with what is hurting me? This reminded me of what our textbook mentioned in
Chapter 2, “And though spending all this time on social media is a personal choice, it may not
make us happy. In Fact, a study by University of Pennsylvania researchers found that using
Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat is linked to depression and loneliness.” (Campbell et al.,
2022). I find this statement to be true and relevant because while I’m alone, I turn to my phone
where I know I’m making constant comparisons to other’s lives, and further isolating myself.
Instead of using that time to connect to myself and be creative, I’m engaging with something I
know is unhealthy because it’s an addiction to me.
Evaluation: After observation, the results didn’t surprise me, though I do find them
alarming. I spend a great deal of time mindlessly scrolling through my apps which not only uses
up my free time, but also hinders other tasks such as homework, cleaning and sleeping. I’m not
gaining anything meaningful from this unhealthy habit and I believe it negatively impacts my
mental health.
Engagement
From the first challenge, this experience wasn’t eye-opening but rather affirming for me. It
confirmed that I have a problem with social media consumption and looking at how much time I
spend on certain apps encourages me to want to take a step back from my phone and spend that
energy doing hobbies and tasks that are fulfilling and meaningful.
Challenge 4: Delete the App
Description/Analysis
Description: For Challenge 4, I viewed my past weekly screen reports and saw I engaged
with TikTok the most. I decided to delete TikTok from my phone for one day, however, my entire
account wasn’t deleted.
Analysis: Throughout parts of the day, I found myself feeling anxious and was tempted to
redownload the app. Usually when opening my phone, I’d head straight for TikTok, but since I
wasn’t able to, I went to other social media, namely Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram. Other
media I watched that day, such as a movie and a YouTube video, I felt I had a more worthwhile
experience after. Granted I was still watching media through my phone, I procrastinated less with
the tasks I had to tackle that day.
Interpretation/Evaluation
Interpretation: Why is TikTok the app I experienced the most FOMO with? I have the
least amount of people I know on TikTok yet missing posts and recent trends makes me
incredibly uneasy. Dr. Elizabeth Scott stated, “ Social media has accelerated the FOMO
phenomenon in several ways. It provides a situation in which you are comparing your regular life
to the highlights of others' lives. Therefore, your sense of ‘normal’ becomes skewed and you
seem to be doing worse than your peers.” (Scott, 2022). Since TikTok has a plethora of genres to
watch, I’m comparing my life to others in multiple areas whether that be with my body image or
my romantic relationship. As well, I fear when I’m not part of trends because I like to take my
spin on it before it’s too late and it’s “old.”
Evaluation: The dependency and amount of engagement I have with TikTok is
detrimental to my mental health. Although I find it as a means of escapism, it creates more
problems and contributes to current issues within my life.
Engagement
This challenge was difficult for me to do and I was uncomfortable experiencing that much
FOMO. This reaction to me means that I need to take a step back from TikTok, no matter how
much I’m obsessed with it. Throughout the day it did feel nice to not have to worry about having
to constantly check the app, so I would like to try deleting TikTok for more days and see how I’ll
feel without it.
Challenge 6: Observe Something Else
Description/Analysis
Description: For Challenge 6, I went to a sit-down restaurant by myself for the first time.
I went to Pho Saigon and made sure to go at the busiest time and dined in for about 45 minutes
to an hour. I stayed off my phone with the exception of replying to a few messages.
Analysis: While feeling anxious in this scenario, I noticed I felt a little embarrassed to not
only be alone, but to not be using my phone either. After settling in, I felt more at ease and took
note of how many others were alone. Many of the people dining alone were using their phones
(with the exception of two elderly men) and most couples in the restaurant were on their phones
rather than talking to each other. Apart from customers, I watched the workers and the patterns in
the tasks they were doing. While I did look around at the restaurant’s interior, soaking in the
ornate decor, I realized my attention tends to focus on people rather than objects.
Interpretation/Evaluation
Interpretation: Before this experience I always asked myself why do people dine alone
since it seems to be such a scary and daunting affair to have? After getting past the initial fear of
judgment from others, I found this to be a pleasing dinner and found my surroundings to be quite
interesting! In Manoush Zomordi’s Ted Talk: How Boredom Can Lead to Your Most Brilliant
Ideas, she interviews Dr. Sandi Mann who expressed, “once you start daydreaming and allow
your mind to really wander, you start thinking a little bit beyond conscious, a little bit into the
subconscious, which allows sort of diff. Connections to take place…” (TEDtalksDirector, 2017).
Apart from analyzing my surroundings, I was making connections with what I was seeing to the
random thoughts I let my mind wander to.
Evaluation: I found this experience to be really good for me and gave me the time to
unplug from my phone and social media. I was able to have thoughts I formed and felt original
compared to being fed constant information usually catered to me.
Engagement
Out of all the challenges, this was the most pleasant one I tried! The outcome I had for this
challenge meant that I still can have my own thoughts and not need to have my phone for all my
entertainment and amusement. I would like to plan on more activities and have clear boundaries
for myself and not use my phone.
References
Campbell, R., Martin, C. R., & Fabos, B. (2022). Media & Culture: An introduction to
mass communication. Bedford/St. Martin's.
Elizabeth Scott, P. D. (2022, July 19). Do you have Fomo? Here is how to Cope. Verywell
well. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-cope-with-
fomo-4174664#:~:text=Social%20media%20has%20accelerated%20the,doing%20worse
%20than%20your%20 peers.
YouTube. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=c73Q8oQmwzo.
