Since the release of the first smartphones, their use for distraction while waiting is a developed habit for most people. Children may be exposed to it every day from home to school, or from home to the soccer fields. For many of us the use of the smart device can be a useful tool in our toolbox. It can be a way to be free from tension or anxiety. Yes, this habit might take our mind off the stress, but have we considered the underlying costs? Several recent sports studies show that spending time on smartphones before physical activity can have inimical effect on athletic performance. These effects range from slower reactions to increased mental fatigue and poorer decision-making. In a 2019 study in Psychology of Sport and Exercise, researchers asked what impact smartphone usage was having on professional soccer players. The study compared the effect of smartphone usage when players were subjected to 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 45 minutes of uninterrupted use prior to the activity. They then assessed the level of mental fatigue before having the athletes play a simulated soccer game for sport-specific decision-making analysis. In their conclusions they noted that while 15 minutes of smartphone use did not have a significant effect, anything longer than 30 minutes exposure caused measurable mental fatigue, which impaired the players’ performance in psychomotor tasks. So, when needing some distractions from daily life, players can try the following instead using their smartphone before practices or games.
1. Listening to music to manage through emotions
2. Meditation 10-20 minutes to relax
3. Visualizing their ideal successful performance