Unplugged

Categories
Lifestyle
Tags
lifestyle, electronics, social media, online, distractions, success, networking

I start most days early and almost all of my work – in fact a good bit of my life - is online via phone, zoom, and various chats and apps. To connect with the West Coast, I am often online at night too, making for long and productive days. My time spent looking at the screen - both on the phone and computer - has gotten longer. Picking up and looking at the phone is second nature, and while it is a wonderful tool, the phone can also create an unwanted distraction.  

 

I’m not alone! I recently read a survey that on average we look at our phone around 150 times a day!  I’m not among the 60% who sleep with my phone or check it as soon as they get up. Being among the 75% who report using  the phone on the toilette – um – NO! 

 

Gayle and I recently decided to unplug for a few hours in the evening – to be free from  what I have not dubbed electronicus interruptus. Even a quick glance at the phone disrupts the flow of conversation or pulls attention away from the moment in which we want to be. So the phone is out of sight – put away. 

 

We don’t mind knowing that there is nothing all that important under normal conditions, that cannot wait 90 minutes or so. 

 

How often do you unplug completely?

 

 

Comments

Daniel Schwartz

Very difficult as I was forced to a few days ago after accidentally sitting in our hot tub and my phone was in my bathing suit pocket, oops. It shut down and it had to be taken the next day to a shop to have it opened and dried out. No phone for nearly two days. It was torture. I will say i did have a better walk at a quicker pace, without it. .
Robert Intelisano

Interesting! Have had a rule for years, no phone in the bedroom at night. Makes it easier to get to sleep by not looking at the phone before bedtime. Give it a try as phone is left in the TV room for morning viewing.
Rich Slomovitz

I've taken to turning off my email alerts generally after 9pm and on weekends. Still check on weekends once or twice a day, but this way I'm not seeing them constantly come up when in lock screen. I do use an iPad for reading whether its the newspaper or a book (and it also makes it easier to read with the lights out when my wife is trying to sleep) so I do usually have some electronic going.

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