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By the time you read this , most of our New Year ’ s resolutions we committed to have fallen by the wayside . When the clock struck 12 on December 31 st , most of us solemnly pledged to improve this , stop that , start so and so . Thinking of a New Year ’ s resolution is the easy part . Keeping it up with it , is where the proverbial sh * t hits the fan .
As an executive assistant , a phone – specifically a mobile phone – is an indispensable tool for success in a fast-paced world . Decision-making is quick and results quicker .
TAKE A LOOK AT THE STATS Research in 2022 showed that :
8 mins 15 %
CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS
Phone addiction is reaching the ranks of alcohol addiction and smoking , some would say . In 2023 , report author Saqib Nawaz , from Melbourne ’ s Swinburne University in Victoria , called for phone addiction to be recognised as a disorder . His research found that understanding problematic phone dependence should start with defining it , exploring interventions and “ untangling the intricate relationship between individuals , society and evolving technology ”.
Reconsidering your relationship with tech should be a priority , especially if you do a screen time audit of your consumption that exceeds six or seven hours . You might be astonished .
The average Aussie checks their phone on average 7.8 times an hour , or every eight minutes .
51 %
The most popular apps are Facebook ( 28 %), TikTok ( 17 %) and Instagram ( 15 %).
47 %
PHONE ADDICTION IN NUMBERS
According to reviews . org . au , the average Aussie spends 5.67 hours on their phone daily , up from five and a half hours the previous year . Unsurprisingly , with almost unlimited data availability and an app for everything you can think of , our whole world is in the palm of our hand . TikTok , Banking ,
Just over half of Aussies ( 50.65 %) consider themselves addicted to their phones .
About 48 % experience anxiety if they leave their phone at home and 47 % feel anxious if their phone battery drops below 20 %.
75 % 64 %
Almost 80 % of people check their phone within 10 minutes of waking up and 75 % sleep with their phone next to them .
About 60 % check their phone when on the toilet and 64 % while streaming a movie or TV show .
19 % 55 %
Scarily , 19 % say they check their phone while driving .
Interestingly , 55 % have texted someone in the same room as them . j
28 Executive PA | Autumn Issue 2025