When out to eat, at a sporting event or even at a family gathering do you ever stop and look around? Do you pick your head up and see those around you with a phone in their hand with their eyes glued to the screen while their fingers are moving 1000 miles per hour? Without even picking your head up you can probably hear the buzzing and ringing of phones or the clicking of fingers across the keypad.

We are a digital generation. Our lives revolve around texting, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. On average, every 6 minutes Americans check their phones and for some of us it may be more than that. We feel a sense of satisfaction from excessive amounts of likes on Instagram. We share our daily life experiences on Facebook for our “friends” to see. We compose witty phrases and quotes that relate to others so we get the most retweets or favorites on twitter. We thrive off of what people behind a computer or phone screen think of us.

Are these people even our friends? If we saw half of our internet friends in person would we share the same stories we post online? If you answered no, then why post it for the world to see?

Although technology keeps us in touch with those who live far from us, that percentage of people in our lives is very minimal. We are losing sight of genuine friendships. Some no longer know how to interact with others in person and carry on a face to face conversation. We are so used to being behind a screen.

We like to think we are great at multitasking. We believe we can watch tv, text and complete work at the same time, but it's not true. Our brains are just quickly jumping from one thing to the next, leaving us very unproductive.

Technology is a distraction. Put your phone down when around friends and family. Cherish the moments you’ll never get back. Hide your phone across the room while doing work so you’d have to get up if you want to check it. Don't feel the need to take pictures of everything. Live in the moment.

The facebook status or text message can wait. Technology will continue to advance and be around forever. You won't have forever to truly experience life with people you love.

Put the phone down.