Dear Readers,

“Running late, be there in ten minutes”

“on my way”

“we still on for today?”

How many times have you sent this text message to someone you have plans with that day or night?

It’s not just social situations, people are late to meetings at work and even (gasp) job interviews because of this laissez-faire mentality.

Don’t get me wrong, when you have a legitimate reason to be late, definitely reach out and touch someone but the random blowing off of plans and devaluing time has got to stop.

Yes, we are all busy, I get that, and it takes a bit of going back and forth to even set up the time and that was hard enough to honor before adding kids into the mix. So, while not impossible, it gets harder which means it becomes even MORE important to not cancel unless absolutely necessary.

I can’t tell you how many times I walk into a restaurant and see people NOT TALKING but scrolling on their phones sitting at tables together. I really want to say something, anything to FORCE them to interact with another human being. We are becoming a nation of zombies that are addicted to the dopamine rush we get when we hear a “swoosh” “ding” or other “notification” and we get that “hit” off our pipe (oops, I mean phone). The worst part of this addiction is that it’s socially acceptable because everyone has it.

1. Do you wake up to a cell phone? Do you go to sleep with one?
2. Do you check your phone first or say good morning to your partner first?
3. Do you check facebook or email multiple times through the day?

Think about the last meeting you went to, did you talk to your coworker before it started? Or were you buried in your technology? I realize that sometimes you are vocationally bound to those things but not all the time. So I want to challenge you to look for ways to disconnect from the internet and connect to the world around you.

So here is the hard part, now that I have noticed this and pointed it out to you, what do you DO about it?

Well here is what I am doing. Three things-

1. If I make plans with someone, I am doing my best to keep them. When I get to the location of the plans, I am going to turn my phone OFF and BE THERE fully, completely and focused on the person I spent so much time trying to coordinate the time to be with and truly focus on them, looking at them, not my flipping phone.  .
2. I got an alarm clock, which is how I will wake up and no longer use my phone as an alarm which will cause me to not snooze, and to actually wake up and start my day minus the smartphone scrolling.  (This is hard, I love to snooze)
3. Have a social media break on weekends- Sunday is our family day and so that will also be social media break day. (we have a cell phone lock up for just this occasion)
4. Before a meeting starts at work, don’t be buried in my phone or laptop, look at the other people in the room, and CONNECT. That is how we USED to build relationships. It’s time to get back to that, before it’s too late and all we have is our machines and the warm dull glow to keep us company.

What can YOU do to “break the habit”?

Think About It.

Think about it….

Think About IT!…. now

Thank you for reading my post and being my follower, now, please put down your phone, or log off your computer and go do something that has nothing to do with a screen.