Is your Smartphone running your life?

Now, I could have said ruining your life and this article could essentially say the same thing.  I may operate on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to using my Smartphone (i.e. it might take me more than three hours to return your call, reply to your email, or respond to your LinkedIN-Facebook- text message, etc.), but it is my goal to give my full attention to who I am with or what I am doing. 
 

Have you ever:

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• been out with a friend (i.e. having lunch, visiting at their home, etc.) and in the middle of a sentence, the person picked up their phone to read a text or respond to a text?
• had another person in a business meeting answer their phone or send an email while you were sharing your ideas or presenting?
• went to visit family, and while trying to visit with  them, they were glued to their phone sending emails, on facebook, texting, etc.? 
•  ………I will let you fill in your experience here. 

We have all at some point been the victim of a Smartphone offense.  How did it make you feel (e.g. second rate, not important, not worthy enough, etc.)?

The real question is have you ever been the Smartphone offender?  Mmmmhmmmm…….

I am upfront when I am with close friends about how I feel if they are glued to their Smartphone during our visit.  I was shocked by my own behavior this past month.  One of my closest friends was visiting at my home, and in the moment, I thought it was okay to respond to a text.  I even felt the need to tell her (while she was talking to me) who I was texting and why.  I can still picture it…she had stopped what she was saying and was just looking at me while I finished my text.  It wasn’t until she left that I realized she had been a victim of a Smartphone offense, and I was the offender!  Don’t get me wrong, there are situations where responding to a text, email, or phone call when with friends, family, or in business is appropriate and necessary, but this is rarely the case.  

Before responding, ask yourself, does this need to be responded to right now, or will I just feel better to send this off now?  There was a recent study done of over 360 workers about the signs of technology addiction.  It has been proven that humans can only cope with around seven tasks simultaneously, so with facebook, LinkedIn, Friendster, texting, emails, etc., we are increasingly overloaded with various forms of communication.  To stay afloat, many of us have become attached to our Smartphones so that we don’t fall behind.  I ask you this, is it working?  Do you feel less bombarded or caught up?  On the other hand, have any of your relationships suffered?  Have you lost business because of being constantly connected?  Does your employer now expect you to be accessible 24/7?

You can make the choice of whether or not to allow technology to run your life, and you can also make the choice to set boundaries and realistic expectations with your friends, family, and business connections.

WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE?