If there’s one piece of technology that is universally used and embodies both the positives and negatives of modern advancements, it’s the personal phone. By “phone,” we mean a smartphone—a device equipped with internet and digital communication capabilities. This is what most people carry in their pockets today, and it’s also the type of phone that often leads to user addiction. Older phones, lacking data or internet capabilities, are still used by some but have far less potential to induce addiction.

On the positive side, smartphones enable us to do many things that were previously impossible or much more difficult:

• Chat or video chat with distant friends from the comfort of our personal space.
• Use the internet to research specific topics.
• Utilize maps or GPS to navigate and find locations.
• Place orders for various services.
• Watch videos or listen to music during downtime.

Despite these benefits, many of us feel that our phones have become more than just tools and that we often use them negatively. This is likely because we do. There’s a fine line between rational, useful technology use and irrational use, and we frequently cross it—initially unknowingly, but eventually, as addiction sets in, we begin to realize it. Irrational phone use becomes evident when this cool piece of technology turns from servant to master, becoming an extension of ourselves without which we can’t imagine life. Our daily activities revolve around the phone:

• The first thing we do upon waking is check our phones for updates.
• We scroll through our phones during breakfast.
• We listen to music on our phones while commuting.
• We keep our phones next to us at work, constantly switching between tasks and the phone.
• We jog with our phones, listening to music.
• We chat with friends all day through phone apps.
• We order food via our phones.
• We pay for everything using our phones.
• We spend our evenings watching something on our phones.
• We go to bed after one last check of our chats or social media feeds.

When you think about it, almost everything you do in a day involves your phone. It makes life easier to the point that it becomes a necessary entry point to life, an obligatory part of life—it becomes life itself. When you feel completely lost without your phone, when you can’t go more than 10 minutes without looking at it, when you can’t imagine life without it, your phone use has become irrational. No tool should ever become your master; if it does, you’re already on the wrong side of the fence.

However, there is hope. You can always regain control if you set your mind to it. One possible measure is to block certain hours or days when you don’t allow yourself to use the phone. Another option is to ditch the smartphone altogether and use a feature phone. If you find that the downsides of using a smartphone outweigh the benefits, why keep it? You could keep it in a drawer and only turn it on in exceptional cases when you really need its capabilities.