As time passes and the digital era progresses, the relationship between humans and their phones is starting to play a relevant role in the evolution. More and more the public, especially teenagers, find themselves spending a reasonable amount of time in front of their screens, scrolling on popular platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram. I asked Jonas Baumgartner, professional athlete, to share his opinion on the digital space and the relationship that we have with it.
Jonas Baumgartner is an Italian professional alpine skier, ski and windsurf instructor, and current MA science sports student at the University of Innsbruck. Since he was little his passion for sports and outdoor activities has always been a central topic for him. Beginning the interview, I asked Mr Baumgartner to explain better the relationship between him and his phone.
“As a professional athlete, I find myself struggling to find space to spend time on my phone, especially for social media platforms.” He explains that although the usage of his phone is minimal, due to his training, he still enjoys spending time on his phone to gather important information for his studies and passions or to communicate with his family back home. He continues the interview by saying: “It wasn’t always like this, in the past I’ve found myself having a bad relationship with it. After that I saw a radical change in my performance but more importantly, in my mental health.”
Recent studies show that smartphones already dominate the lives of Kids who find themselves receiving their first phone at the age of seven. And while kids find themselves amazed by their new phone, more teenagers start exceeding its usage, developing an addiction. I so asked Mr Baumgartner, what do you believe are the risks of teenagers overdoing their use of phones?
“As teenagers, their maturity is still in development, which means that they are more exposed to developing an addiction by not realizing the downsides and dangers of overspending time on social media platforms.” He admits that this issue is not only present in young people but also in athletes: “Nowadays professional athletes like to share their lives on social media, to gain popularity, such as professional soccer players. But this sometimes leads to them lacking in their performance and not giving the best example to the public.” He continues by saying that the risks behind this current issue are many, such as developing mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and stress. Additionally, it also causes sleep disturbances, a reduced attention gap that may cause serious accidents, reduced academic performance, and, more importantly, isolation and relationship issues.
“See, this is why I love sports and outdoor activities. It allows me to dig deeper and connect with myself while developing discipline, which is essential in every aspect of life.”
At the end of the interview, I asked Mr Baumgartner what suggestions he would give to people who are struggling to find a balance with their phones.
“Put it down. Put down your phone, go outside for a walk, move your body, and discover yourself. Discover your limits and your passions. And remember to surround yourself with people who stimulate you and challenge you to become the best version of yourself.”