May 4, 2017
I have been taking more notice of one habit that I believe a lot of us suffer with; our constant interaction and our ever-increasing dependent relationships with our mobile phones. Instead of interacting with each other and those around us, we ignore each other, choosing instead to check our messages, emails and social media. We look everything and anything up in an instant, and it sometimes seems as though we have a more in depth relationship with our phones than we do with people.
My reason for highlighting this is that when I was away recently with my husband, as we walked along the seafront past restaurants, we were having the “mobile phone” conversation. We then made a point of looking to see how many people – either in groups or in couples – were using or checking their phones rather than talking to each other. It was at least half, if not more.
On another day we were at a lovely cliff top bar and restaurant and again we looked to see how many people were checking their phones and again it was well over half the people sitting there. We watched as one foursome sat together hardly saying anything to each other. One person had his head bent down looking at his phone, occasionally showing his friends what he was looking at, whilst the other three talked in between checking their own phones.
I know I am as guilty of the next person of this on occasion, so much so, that I am standing in a post office queue (where I will be for ages) on my phone adding notes to this article. I did think about what I was doing though and asked myself why; coming up with the answer that it was as good a place as any. That it was also peaceful standing with the sun shining into the post office on my back, but I did also fleetingly think, “what about looking around and just doing nothing?” I reflected and decided to make a conscious choice to carry on making notes on my phone, before sending my son a Whats app message.
Random behaviour, or the norm today?
I think this is the norm. I also believe that whilst checking our mobile phones for messages etc, or using them to makes notes as I did, whilst this is now the “norm”, it is an unconscious process that has turned into a habit, which most of us engage in without really thinking about what we are doing.
I find I now consciously choose to leave my phone at home on evenings out with friends or my husband, or leave it in the car when I get where I am going. Whilst I know I would feel odd doing this during the day, in the evening I like the peace of not having my phone with me gives me.
Maybe have a think for yourself and see if what I say resonates with you on any level, especially the next time you pick up your phone to check your messages or social media. I know it does with a lot of my clients….. and I wonder how this is for you.