Whether it's watching Netflix, scrolling through Facebook or playing one of the many games from the app store, our generation is constantly attached to our cell phones. Wherever we go, even to the bathroom, our phones are attached to our hips or more likely, our fingertips. As if being without our connections for just one second would leave us vulnerable to the world around our five-inch screens.

Every now and then, I wish we could go back to simpler times when kids spent time outside rather than in front of the television and instead of cell phones, we had landlines. To consider how much times have changed from generation to generation is crazy.

Not too long ago I told an eight-year-old that my first phone was a flip phone and she looked at me as if I spoke another language, clueless about a time before iPhones.

I can't imagine giving an eight-year-old an iPhone. But nowadays, kids tend to get phones and tablets before they start school. Why can't they get books and multiplication cards, Legos and Lincoln Logs?

Technology isn't necessarily a bad thing but our excessive use of it can be. We wonder where hours of our day go, yet the answer lies in the screens we clutch to every waking moment.

If you ask a number of teenagers what they do first thing in the morning, nine out of ten will say they check their phone for new messages and notifications, anxious to see what they missed while asleep. Some adults probably do it as well.

I can't say I'm not among those people but lately I've been thinking that it'd be better to unplug before bed and wait to pick it back up for a bit after awakening. By taking a breather, I can hopefully get some work done without interruptions and distractions. If I start early, it could set a productive mood for the day.

Cell phones are one of the biggest distractions in our lives. The constant dings of new notifications interrupt our lives more than we admit. They come at all hours of the day regardless of what we're doing and it's like we can't help but feel the urge to check it right that minute.

But it's not that big of a deal. Taking a break from your devices could be the best part of your day, especially if you're out having fun. Why focus on what's happening on that tiny screen when you can focus on the world around you?

I am beginning to realize that even though pictures hold moments, memories are really made by paying attention and taking in the event as it happens, not by hiding behind a cell phone. Enjoy the moment as it comes because once it's over, you can't go back to it.