Pokemon Go and Other Distractions

The Pokemon Go craze has created quite a stir.  People are chasing these little fantasy creatures wherever their phone takes them, including in harms way.  Just search the most recent news and you will find one story after another about people getting injured or KILLED while pursuing yet another Pokemon.  It is a bit terrifying to me.  I admit that I am one of those people that does not understand the fascination with this app, especially to the extremes it has rapidly evolved.  And then the other night it hit me.  Who am I to be spouting about the stupidity of all this?  How much time am I spending on my phone looking at Facebook, Twitter, news feeds, emails, text messages, the weather app, internet, or anything else I click on out of boredom (or avoiding work)?  Conviction can be a painful thing...

If our ancestors could see our current society, they would be shocked and dare I say, appalled.   We are busier than ever, with all our modern "conveniences."   We claim that we are more connected to people than ever because we can text, message, call from anywhere, scroll the social media.  Yes, we can do all those things, but is it healthy?  Are we truly "connected" to anyone?  Is this a true, healthy connection or are we ignoring those who are physically present with us?  What would happen if we finally looked up from our phones one day and realized that our loved ones are gone?  Precious time that could have been spent in face to face communication, complete with the important element of non-verbals which tell us what a person is truly feeling, has been replaced with a cyber reality.  A reality that in fact is, for the lack of a better word, not real.  I fear that we have forgotten what healthy communication looks like and definitely forgotten how to put it into action.

We were out for supper at a local pub this past weekend with my daughter and her boyfriend.  There was a family at the table next to us, obviously celebrating a birthday complete with 3 generations of loved ones.  My daughter says to me, "Mom, look."  Over half the family was looking down at their phones and not interacting with each other.  Unfortunately, this is not a rare scene.  Everywhere you go, people who are physically together are not "together."  Don't get me wrong.  I am not condemning.  I have been guilty of this more than I care to admit.   There have been more wasted moments since acquiring a Smart Phone than probably any other time in my life.  Moments that I can't get back.  So what do we do going forward?

Here are some suggestions from experts as listed in an article on WebMD: 

• Be conscious of the situations and emotions that make you want to check your phone. Is it boredom? Loneliness? Anxiety? Maybe something else would soothe you.
• Be strong when your phone beeps or rings. You don't always have to answer it. In fact, you can avoid temptation by turning off the alert signals.
• Be disciplined about not using your device in certain situations (such as when you're with children, driving, or in a meeting) or at certain hours (for instance, between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.). "You'll be surprised and pleased to rediscover the pleasures of being in control of your attention."

How about you?  Is your cell phone controlling your life, perhaps even stealing time from the more important things in life?  If so, are you willing to make changes?  Personally, it seems imperative to do so if I want to have healthy relationships and memories with the people I love the most.  I'm going to put my phone down and look into the eyes of the people around me, appreciate them while I am blessed to have them, starting with the "no phone" times suggested above and ignoring it at all meals.  I'll let you know how it turns out!  If you try something similar (whatever you are led to do) I would love to hear about the results.  Stay tuned!

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Source:  http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/addicted-your-smartphone-what-to-do?page=4
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