In our daily phone use, we can clearly sense the downside of "habit becoming second nature." We often reach for our phones without thinking, even when there are no notification sounds. The screen lights up, our fingers swipe, and our eyes move across familiar icons—yet we are not sure what we are actually seeking.
How many times a day does this happen? In The Phone Fix, UK-based neurologist and neuroscientist Faye Begeti describes this behavior as the brain's autopilot mode—a habit developed to conserve energy. But after closing the book, one question remains: why does this supposedly energy-saving pattern leave us feeling so drained?
We live in a time of extraordinary technological progress. The small devices in our pockets connect us to humanity's collective knowledge, yet they also scatter our attention. With scientific clarity, Begeti reminds readers that the issue lies not in the technology itself, but in how we use it.
Beyond the Moral Panic
Debate continues within academia regarding the impact of mobile phones on human well-being. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, in The Anxious Generation, argues that the rise of the smartphone coincides with a marked increase in mental health issues among teenagers worldwide. However, Begeti offers a contrasting, perhaps more nuanced, view.
Drawing on her expertise in medicine and neuroscience, she contends that drawing a direct causal link between phone use and mental health problems oversimplifies a complex issue. She notes that clinical "addiction" is a specific diagnosable disorder, and most people's reliance on their phones—while problematic—does not meet that threshold.
Begeti observes that every major technological shift in history, from the novel to the television, has sparked similar moral panics. While acknowledging the genuine challenges smartphones pose, she urges us to move beyond alarmist claims that "technology poisons the mind." Instead, we should approach the issue with balance, recognizing that technology's impact depends entirely on how it is wielded.
The Neuroscience of "Autopilot"
Why is it so difficult to resist the scroll? Begeti offers a neuroscientific explanation: the human brain operates in two modes—active control and automatic control. Nearly half of our daily actions occur in automatic mode, driven by habit. This is a built-in mechanism to save energy; habits serve as cognitive shortcuts. Just as we brush our teeth without deep deliberation, we often unlock our phones out of muscle memory.
Phone scrolling is a classic "autopilot" behavior, closely tied to willpower, which Begeti likens to a battery. When our brain's command center is low on energy—when we are tired, hungry, or emotionally depleted—it delegates decisions to this autopilot system. This explains why we are most vulnerable to doom-scrolling when we are exhausted. To change this, we must first "recharge" our willpower through adequate sleep and emotional care.
Begeti breaks down habit formation into four elements: cue, action, reward, and repetition. Smartphones excel at providing constant cues (notifications) and immediate rewards (dopamine from likes and new content), while requiring almost no effort to engage. Understanding this mechanism reveals that scrolling is not necessarily a sign of a "sinful" lack of self-control, but simply the brain operating as designed. Recognizing this can ease our self-blame, which is the first step toward meaningful change.
Practical Tools for Change
The strength of The Phone Fix lies in its practical solutions. Begeti suggests a "five-minute rule": when you feel the urge to check your phone, wait five minutes. Whether you ultimately check it or not, the pause itself is a victory—it interrupts the autopilot loop. She also recommends creating intentional "friction," such as keeping the device out of reach or turning it off, to ensure we use our phones deliberately rather than habitually.
These strategies are not meant to eliminate technology from our lives but to cultivate a healthier relationship with it. This is particularly vital for parents, as children's self-control systems are still developing.
A Call to Digital Stewardship
While Begeti approaches the topic from a scientific perspective, her insights deeply resonate with Christian wisdom regarding stewardship and the heart.
Technology is a double-edged sword. If we do not know how to wield it, it may ultimately turn against us. Handing a child a smartphone without guidance is akin to sending them into a bustling metropolis without a map. Every hour spent navigating that digital city is formative; it shapes who they become. As Proverbs 25:28 reminds us, "Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control."
Technology can be dazzling, drawing us in like moths to a flame. Studies show that people spend an average of six to seven hours a day on screens. If that time consistently produced joy, gratitude, creativity, and love, there would be little cause for concern. Yet, the reality is often different.
The home is where children are most naturally shaped. If we, as parents, are constantly absorbed in our screens, the beauty of God's creation or the depth of a good book will gradually lose its appeal to our children. We are appointed as guardians of our children's hearts. If we hope for the next generation to grow up wise, we must lead by example.
Children, like adults, have deep longings—for belonging, beauty, and happiness. As C.S. Lewis famously observed, "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." We must guide our children toward a richer, more pastoral life than the online world can offer.
The Phone Fix serves as a reminder that living well with technology is an exercise in wisdom. We need not throw our smartphones away. Instead, we can redeem them, showing children the best of what technology can offer—music, connection, and creativity—while ensuring it remains a tool in our hands, rather than a master of our time.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times, and the author is a pastor from Anhui Province.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
