Do you check your phone all day long?
The average person turns on their phone 110 times a day! (Some extreme users do it closer to 1000!)
But, you don’t need to check your phone everywhere and anytime.
If you do, your phone is ruling your life.
Is Your Phone Always There?
You take your phone everywhere.
Steve Jobs famously told the original iPhone development team, “Make something that people will never leave home without.”
And you don’t. In fact, when you forget it, you turn around and go back home.
Yet, your omnipresent phone can take over your life if you let it.
Checking it at the wrong times, and in the wrong places, can have a negative impact on your life. (It can even be downright dangerous…)
So, today… be more conscious of when and where you use your phone.
Here are 27 Places and Times You Don’t Need to Check Your Phone:
- In bed, before you get up for your day.
- At breakfast.
- During your commute.
- In the elevator.
- In the bathroom.
- Standing at the urinal.
- Walking in the parking lot.
- While sitting at the red light. (Don’t do it!)
- In the meeting you are in.
- While talking to someone face-to-face.
- In a restaurant.
- In your car. (See #8)
- While walking through the mall.
- On an amusement park ride.
- On a hike outdoors. (Unless you are lost.)
- Anywhere if you are less than 10 years old.
- In a movie theater.
- At a dinner date.
- In line to get fast food.
- Every time an unknown fact or piece of trivia arises.
- Waiting for a job interview.
- Brushing your teeth.
- Watching your kids.
- Hanging out with your friends.
- While you watch TV. (Do you really need both?)
- Spending time with your significant other.
- In bed, before you go to sleep.
Leave Your Phone Be
You don’t need to check your phone every second of the day.
Technology should be a tool to help you get things done. Not a distraction that constantly interrupts your life.
Keep that phone in its place, (pocket or purse), and enjoy the life around you.
You just might be more productive, too.
Question: What would you add to this list of 27 places and times? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I’m guilty of checking my phone in all of these situations. Especially right before I get out of bed. :/ Need to change some habits.
It seems to be the morning ritual for many… 🙂
My commute is a 30 minute bus ride. What’s bad about checking my phone at that time?
Well, as long as you aren’t driving… 🙂
Not sure I entirely agree with 3 or 13 – I take advantage of public transport to review articles I enjoy reading but would not have time to do so otherwise, and as long as you can stay aware of the space around you, reading as you go through the mall can save you quite a bit of money if you’re susceptible to advertising in stores.
For the commute… I was referring to “when you are driving” which I see too often.
For #13, I offer this… 🙂
I would add to the list:
At a funeral.
At church.
Absolutely.
I would also add (based upon living with techy teenagers):
1. whilst at a family meal, particularly including 3rd generations!
2. In a church (assuming you can get them through the door)
3. In court
4. At a school assembly, or worse, in the headmaster’s office (yep – it happens)
5. Whilst your boss is talking to you
6. Whilst having sex (yes – that happens too, parents!)
7. Every 6 seconds, or every time your device makes some noise.
How life has changed in the space of one generation … Sadly, the current generation may never be able to appreciate the benefit of silence and solitude, at least for a minute or two.
Good additions!
I think I disagree with the commute one… on the days I go into the office I have a 60 minute car ride, followed by a 30 minute train and 10 minute shuttle. use that time to organize and sort all the email that’s come in overnight, schedule my top priorities for the day and dispose of things that need to be done by someone else. That doesn’t sound like a bad thing to me.
And if I have time left, then I catch up with the news on FlipBoard.
When you aren’t driving… sure! 🙂
Absolutely. My husband drives, I ride 🙂
I truly agree with this list,however I would like to add:when your teenage daughter is trying to have an adult conversation with u. My daughter says the exception is the line at chipotle. Lol. She doesn’t want to be rude by staring at people eating.please put your phone away while ordering & eating.
I’ve always said we should focus more on that blurry part around the edges of the phone that’s called real life.