Where is your phone right now? On your desk? In your backpack? In your hand? 

Chances are you are always aware of your phone’s location and maybe even panic if you misplace it, and with good reason.

Today, a phone is so much more than a communication device. It’s a calendar, a notepad, an alarm clock, a GPS, a news source, an MP3 player.

But if we’re being honest, almost all of us could agree that we waste too much of our time each day re-scrolling through newsfeeds, adding clothes that we’ll never actually buy to online shopping carts, and annoying friends with endless Candy Crush requests.

According to a study by Baylor University published in the Journal of Behavorial Addictions, male college students spend an average of eight hours a day on their phones while female students spend about 10 hours each day.

The study also stated that approximately 60 percent of college students might consider themselves to be addicted to their cellphones.

Perhaps you’re thinking, “That’s crazy. I definitely do not spend eight to 10 hours a day on my phone.”

Okay, then. How many hours do you spend? Two? Three? Three and a half?

Between checking emails, snapchatting, dashing down notes, liking friends’ Instagram selfies, asking Siri ridiculous questions and assuring our parents that we’re still alive, we rely on our phones quite a bit.

As with many areas of life, the principle of “everything in moderation” can be applied.

In today’s society, the total abandonment of the technology which we’ve become so dependent upon seems impossible and impractical.

Instead, focus on maintaining a healthy balance between using your phone as a tool and as entertainment.