What up what up everyone! It’s Monday! To all you students, it’s the last week of school before reading week!! 😀

Okay, I have come to a realization multiple times and it is this: who else notices that wherever you look you see people on their phones? Whether it’s texting, on social media, or playing Flappy Bird, is this phone obsession healthy? Psychologically, I don’t think so. It’s also not good, because you’re not stoping and smelling the roses, aka enjoying life! You’re not challenging yourself and growing your interpersonal skills by ACTUALLY trying to have conversations with people…instead, you’re looking at your phone in avoidance.

We dedicate so much time to this hand held piece of metal and glass…it’s weird. You think you feel so connected to so many people and what’s going on in the world because of it, yet you’re disconnected from everyone and everything around you. It’s meant to heighten our communication, and quality of life, but does it? Yes, but majority of people abuse it. How many times do we have to check Twitter or Facebook, or even read blogs or the news? This is all okay to do once in awhile, but not much changes every ten minutes (which is how often most people look at their phones) and even if something does change, it’ll be there forever, it’s the internet. How many times can you say you’ve done something ACTUALLY productive with your cell phone in a day?

We use phones to avoid awkward situations, fill in silences, and procrastinate. I don’t even remember what we used to do when we didn’t have the comfort of a phone to grab from our pocket when we came across someone we are trying to avoid. When we’re alone we also go on our phone for an extended amount of time… sit down, pull out phone; bored in class, pull out phone; waiting for food to cook, pull out phone; even SITTING ON THE TOILET, pull out phone! It’s a bad habit and some people even feel the emotion of withdrawal when they are without their phone.

I’m not trying to sound like I am above all and am not guilty of anything I’ve written, but lately I’ve been trying to stay away from my phone (except for if I have to tell someone something important) and it has been successful. Also, my battery has lasted longer than four hours haha. Can you go without playing with your phone for at least eight hours? I promise you, if you don’t look at your phone to avoid awkward situations or boredom, you will see that you’ll become more creative with how you keep yourself entertained. You’ll pick up a book, get some other work done, and my favourite one, have some unexpectedly awesome conversations.

Here is a method I have done to keep myself focused and not constantly on my phone (unless someone calls, then that means it something urgent usually):

1. Check all your social media in the morning during breakfast (do this AFTER you’ve gotten out of bed, I found that checking Twitter & Instagram in bed makes me not want to get out of bed on time)
2. Once at work or school, put phone away until lunch
3. At lunch, send all the tweets and text messages, “like” all the photos you have to, and do what you gotta do in five minutes and don’t ignore all the people you are eating lunch with
4. Put phone away until you are done work and school
5.  Check phone before heading home, so that you don’t have to drive back somewhere if you didn’t read that text that you have to pick up groceries on the way home
6. Get home and CALL people to have actual conversations and keep in touch
7. Do other things on your down time!!!!!!

I know that this method isn’t perfect, but it’s what I have been doing and so far, and I’ve been more productive with my time. We have to remember that time is valuable, and we are NOT getting any of it back once it’s past. Don’t regret all those hours in total on your phone by using it to make time pass by. Life is precious, make every moment count! Give me your suggestions on how you stay away from your phone or maybe why you don’t think it’s a problem at all. Thanks for checking out my blog and have a great day!