As a Cognitive Behavioral Sport Specialist, Larissa Mills knows all about the negative effects social media can have on athlete performance.

In order for athletes to master their sports' IQ, they need to master Mental IQ first. That starts with their phones. Did you know athletes are touching their phone 176 times a day? From those 176 touches athletes will then spend 200 hours a month on their phones and only 20 hours on training. Phones are also causing athletes to stay up later than all children before them. 

84% of kids are addicted to their phones.

When working with athletics and their social media addiction, nearly 75% of athletes come to Mills with no confidence or mental skills. What all this data leads to is the conclusion that phones are having a negative impact on player performance. Brains are working 35% less than previously recorded levels because of phones, which is impacting decision making mightily. And in sports, decision making is a core fundamental aspect. 

Mills has dedicated her career to helping athletes understand these negative trends in phone addiction and usage.

“If your screen time is more than your practice time don’t complain about your play time.”

Through her research and practice, Mills is discovering new ways and techniques to help athletes improve their performances by limiting social media time. Her goal is to help the person first, and then the athlete. Social media negatively affects an athlete’s self esteem; when you scroll, you take a toll. 

By limiting athletes' usage of social media, the artificial dopamine hit they get from their phone decreases, and that energy is diverted into athletic performance and an eventual uptick in cognitive development.

Noteworthy Timestamps:

• 1:00 Mental IQ and phone regulation
• 1:30 Stats on phones
• 3:45 Coach survey
• 5:40 Coaches top behavioural concerns
• 7:55 Development slows at 2+ hours/day
• 10:55 5 impacts of phones and social media
• 13:40 High hockey IQ athletes