One thing we can all relate to is that most likely all have cell phones. Most of us carry around smart phones flush with our favorite apps. Have you ever looked into what apps you use the most and how much time they take up?
How I start my day: I wake up, I check my phone. It helps prevent me from falling back asleep as I look at weather, news, Facebook, and my Instagram account. I get the kiddo up, and we both get dressed and primped then we’re off to start the day. I’d lightly say that in that time I have checked my phone about 10 times and maybe taken like 500 photos and answered some questions with a yes while staring at my phone not realizing that a Target run was Ok’d for after school!
So off to work or fun I go and, you know, check it another million times to see if any missed calls, texts, or breaking celebrity news interests me. I check email and delete photos and make room for new stuff. I check up on homework on my school app and google some random facts. Maybe a snap another pic or two.
When I get home from work and have a chance to sit for a while, I find myself catching up on the last few hours I missed being un-connected to concentrate on my job. The kiddo is in her room cutting up socks to make Barbie dresses or raiding the cupboards or dying the cat purple… whatever it is that 7 year old girls do when adults aren’t paying attention.
I hear a noise and I look up and she is staring at me with a HELLO! look on her face and a little attitude. I say “huh?” She says “Target” and I say “What about it?” She reminds me, very nicely (sarcasm), that I agreed to go to Target for a new LOL Toy. I do not remember agreeing to this, but in reality, I may have.
It was–and is a daily–wake up call. I need to be better at putting down the phone. I have to remind myself to leave it alone. My poor kid, I have actually had her tell me to get off my phone and pay attention to her. I feel so bad. Is all that social media and celebrity news more important that what’s going on in front of me? No!
In an effort to combat my phone addiction, I make it a point to leave my phone on a counter in the other room or upstairs when I am downstairs. I still have to work on it but I am getting better at not checking it so often. I have realized lately just how much time it consumes. Here is my breakdown since my last full charge- Facebook 38 minutes- Google 35 minutes- Instagram 6 minutes- News 6 minutes- Text 10 minutes- Pinterest 7 minutes-TMZ 4 minutes and talking on the phone 35 minutes. This is a total of almost 2 ½ hours on my phone in about 5 hours. It’s crazy when you think of it.
Are you addicted, too? I encourage you to try to put the phone down more. Enjoy what is in front of you. Make a no phone zone at home and see what beautiful things can happen right in front of you.
