Be Forewarned. I am About To Get On My Soap Box

I read an article today on the website Relevant that I found interesting and affects us everyday. The link is below.

Is Your Phone Killing Your Relationship?

 Chris and I have had many conversations about cell phones lately, especially at the dining table.  I am not sure if you have been out to a restaurant and looked around to see the majority of people are A) on their cell phones or B) have them sitting next to them on the table as if something would be so urgent that they could not take the time to reach into their purse to grab it.  Couples, families, and friends go out to dinner and sit on their phones looking at Facebook, Pinterest, sports, etc... and do not engage in conversation.  We no longer communicate about interests and what is going on in our lives.  Instead of conversing with their loved ones they Check In or post what they are doing on Facebook.

And this is not just at the table.  Families and friends gather for holidays and parties and people sit around looking at their phones.  I have been in situations recently that there are five people in the room and no one is talking because they are on their tablet or smart phone.  Where did human interaction go?

Even restaurant owners are beginning to have problems with them.

Restaurant Owners Grapple with Policies for Annoying Cell Phones

I truly believe cell phones (and other technologies) are/ can be a nuisance.  Don't get me wrong they are fantastic.  I am writing on my computer right now.  I can use my phone for my grocery list, calendar, and references.  But they become a problem if you are on them too often. Checking your phone for an email or Facebook update can be addicting.  If you told yourself to not look at your phone/tablet/ computer for three hours, I bet most people would become a little anxious.  I know many people who at one time or another stopped using Facebook because they always felt the need to check it.  Could you make it a day or even a week without looking at Facebook?

One of the things the author said in her article that stood out to me was (you can click on the links to see articles on studies that have been performed):

"More than 80 percent of Americans use smart phones, but apparently they compromise our sleep, reduce our social awareness, and make us stupid."

We are allowing technology to run our lives and reduce the use of our brain.  Don't know something?  Google it.  As a teacher I see this all the time.  Kids don't remember things because they don't have to.  If they forget, they can Google it.  They have difficulty asking questions and forming complete thoughts.  They expect that if they say what they normally type into a google search, I will be able to understand what they are taking about.  I worry for them that they will one day try to get a job and will not know how to express themselves in an articulate manner.

I am guilty of all of these things.  But I have found that as time passes I get more and more annoyed with technology and the lack of "down time".   I think everyone needs to look at their technology habits  and see if technology is controlling their life. One of the comments below the article wrote a blog post about some things that people can do to slow down using technology.  The only one that I don't agree with is having multiple tabs open on a computer.  At the moment I have eight open....

5 Do's & 5 Don'ts To Help You Focus More

I have a few suggestions myself:

• NEVER have a device at the table.  Not at home and definitely not at a restaurant.  Many of my students have to put their cell phones in a designated spot in their house at dinner.  No one is allowed to get up to use while dinner is going on.  (They also have to give their parents their cell phone at a certain time at night so they cannot take it to their bedroom = awesome idea when we have kids one day).
• If you are out with people (at an event or party) only answer it when you need to.  Socialize with the people who you are with.

Along with the other writers I have broken the rules.  But I am trying to be more conscious of how much I use my devices and how much it affects the relationships I have with people.  I am challenging myself to take time away from technology everyday and spend meaningful time when I am with people.  I think everyone should take time throughout the day where you are not using some kind of technology (phone, tablet, computer, TV).  Relax and clear your brain from the constant battery of emails, texts, and media.

And like everything else in life, use them in moderation.