I don’t know about you, but these days, it seems as if I am always on my phone. Head down, fingers texting and eyes scanning, completely oblivious to the outside world. This is embarrassing, but I am sure there will be more than a few of you who can relate.
True story: I went hiking last weekend. I grabbed a couple of my coworkers and we headed for Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama, with our Camelbaks and backpacks in tow. Now, I could lie to you and tell you I had a wonderful few hours blazing mountain trails all the while breathing in the fresh air. I could tell you I spent that time having meaningful conversation about nature and the meaning of life with my coworkers. Instead, I had my phone in my hand the entire time, deciding the best possible pictures and video for my Snapchat story. At the end of the hike, I emerged from the woods with bug bites and tired legs. Oh, and also with a rockin’ Snapchat story! Yeah, embarrassing, right?
“That’s not me,” you might say. “I know when to put down my phone, Sarah,” you’ll hastily defend. Now, I’m not saying it isn’t possible in today’s world to put down the phone for a few hours, but it is becoming increasingly rare. Being truly present in today’s world is becoming an art and a dying one at that. We are infatuated with the concept of remaining constantly connected to our peers via social media. In fact, thinking about this, I have concluded that infatuated is too lenient a word. We are obsessed, plain and simple. We are obsessed with the idea of depicting and manipulating our lives to appear fun and exciting and perfect. Literally picture perfect (I’m looking at you, Instagram).
After assessing my own technological captivation, I thought of a couple challenging questions. First, is it possible to enjoy fun, exciting activities if we’re glued to our phone? Also, do our heavily filtered posts truly prove that we are having fun? At the end of the day, I am afraid we, as a society, are dancing around a dangerous line. A line at which we might actually miss out on real-life things that are meaningful like friends, family and experiences.
If any of the above has alarmed you at all, I would like to share some tricks that are helping me alleviate my own obsession. If, however, you’re content with bumping into people in grocery stores due to phone-induced distractions, then by all means, keep on doing what you’re doing.
1. Get Help
Have a trusted friend hide your phone or temporarily change your password. I usually do this during finals week, but it’s also a good practice for other times you don’t want distractions. It’s as simple as handing the phone over to a friend, roommate or co-worker. If this is too big a jump for you, just ask someone to keep you accountable. It doesn’t matter if you’re tweeting in the library or snapping unashamed selfies in a restaurant, it’s crucial to have friends who will bring you back to what’s important. Trust me, your obligations, especially your grades, will thank you.
2. Just Say No
Just say no to excess apps. Seriously, just simplify your phone. Delete or disable the apps that are keeping you from truly living in the moment. Between Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, GroupMe and the Zoo Tycoon-like app I downloaded this past semester (yep, embarrassing), I’m surprised I still remember how to look people in the eyes. If you find yourself Instagramming more than you’re having real conversations, it may be best to transfer these applications to your laptop or tablet for a little while.
3. Savor the Moment!
Here’s the thing. We get one life. It’s ours to live, and it shouldn’t matter how many likes it receives. I mean, really, we can have fun even if no one knows about it, can’t we?
I have a proposition. For one week, I challenge all of us to put our phones down. For seven days, I challenge all of us to enjoy the moment. Because isn’t that what life is all about?
