FRIENDS BEFORE PHONES

Is ‘phubbing’ killing your career and relationships?

“WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THE INTERNET AND CERTAIN FORMS OF COMPUTER USE ARE ADDICTIVE…IT’S LIKE SLOT MACHINES. WE’RE SEEKING THAT PLEASURABLE HIT”

SMARTPHONE USAGE — AN ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR?

David Greenfield

A VERY REAL AND GROWING ADDICTION

MORE PREVALENT BY THE DAY▸ Information from texts, emails,

social notifications, et cetera is the source of mood-altering power

▸ From dinners to meetings, people are spending more time focused on their screens and less on the people in front of them

▸ TIME reports the average smartphone user checks his phone 46 times per day; other studies show nearly double that rate

“THE SMARTPHONE, MORE THAN ANY OTHER GADGET, STEALS FROM US THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN OUR ATTENTION, TO ENGAGE IN CONTEMPLATION AND REFLECTION, OR EVEN TO BE ALONE WITH OUR THOUGHTS”

WHAT IS THE INTERNET DOING TO OUR BRAIN?

Nicholas Carr

A DYSFUNCTIONAL OBSESSION

FALSE SENSES OF HAPPINESS

▸ Staying plugged in can feel good on the surface, but the ongoing state detracts from mental, social, and professional health

▸ When we can’t maintain focus at work, we stifle creativity, make more mistakes, lessen output, and damage workplace satisfaction

▸ In relationships, 46.3% of adults say their partners are guilty of phubbing and 22.6% cite contention as a result

“WE ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF NERVOUS SYSTEM AROUSAL AND WITH ALL OUR PORTABLE DEVICES ALL OPERATING ON A VARIABLE RATIO REINFORCEMENT PATTERN. WE FEEL AS IF WE CANNOT TURN THEM OFF AND WE BEGIN TO FEEL THAT WE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THEM.”

Kimberly Young

CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT MOBILE DEVICES?

A 7-STEP SOLUTIONEND YOUR PHUBBING HABIT ADDICTION

Out of sight = Out of mind

Seeing your phone entices you to check it, whether consciously or not

You don’t leave junk food out when you diet. Treat digital temptations the same way

Keep your phone out of your line of sight when working and socializing

PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY

You don’t have to be on a plane to use airplane mode

Put your phone in airplane mode during meetings and events

Prevent that innocent glance to check the time from turning into an unplanned app- and notification-checking session

Once your face-to-face time is over, simply disable airplane mode and your digital world will be right there where you left it

USE AIRPLANE MODE

You don’t need be alerted each and every time you receive a new email or get a new comment on your Facebook post

Turn off push notifications and badge app icons for every app that you can

Schedule blocks of time for email checking, reading the news, and social networking

TURN NOTIFICATIONS OFF

If you can access something on desktop, do you really need it on mobile, too?

Apps exist for everything you want, but the truth is that we don’t need much. Help yourself:

1) Delete apps you never use or need

2) Delete apps you don’t want to use but are in the habit of checking

3) Put your most distracting apps into a folder called “Distractions” and move it off your home screen

DELETE UNNECESSARY APPS

People report that food tastes better when phones are put away; enjoyment of other activities is likely impacted in a similar way

Choose activities like mealtime, walking, and even lying in bed where you will go phone-free

You may feel anxiety at first, but note how much more you experience and remember when you are present in the moment instead of tied up in apps

DESIGNATE PHONE-FREE ACTIVITIES

Ask friends, family, and coworkers to help you stay on track

Ask if you can do the same for them

If you worry about tension or awkwardness when you remind each other, create a playful code word for slip-ups up or gamify the process by making it incentive-based

ASSIGN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS

You will slip up at times and that’s okay

As with any resolution, it’s important to track your progress, remain accountable, and celebrate successes

A super simple resolution tracker is often all you need

Beyond tracking your phone time, note changes in levels of appreciation and quality of life

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

STOP PHUBBING, STARTING WITH ONE OF THE WORST DISTRACTIONS: EMAIL