Do you ever get twitchy fingers when you're not checking your phone like every 5 minutes? It's a bad habit I must admit. I'm guilty of doing this when going out with friends, family or the Mr, but I want to make more of a conscious effort of really switching off. I want to socialise with people without being glued to my phone! OK so that means no phones face up on restaurant tables, no 'got to just send a quick text' or 'I'm just waiting for an email from my mum'. Here's how to really switch off from your phone *deep breath* we can do it guys.
Capture the moment without losing the moment
We all want to take a snap of what we're eating, drinking etc but we don't need to spend ages editing and choosing filters right there and then. I like to take a quick snap and edit them when I get home. No one likes sitting across from someone when they're face down in Instagram and snapping everything from the bread basket to the wine cooler!
Name & shame
By no means a popular suggestion but actually saying 'no phones at the table' or 'whoever uses their phone has to pay the bill' might actually work! It's a bit cheeky but the fact that you brought it up makes people think twice about whipping out their phones. Tough love works.
Turn off notifications
Leave your phone on silent or turn off notifications all together. If you don't hear your phone beeping or vibrating every few minutes, you won't feel agitated and desperate to check your phone. I have a flashing light on my Samsung phone for notifications, so I leave my phone in my bag so I don't see the light going off and having a disco on the table.
Enjoy the company you're with
I love catching up with friends and family - talking, laughing and generally being silly so when we choose to drift off on our phones, out attention is broken and we're not enjoying the moment. It's basically saying somethings more important or interesting on my phone than being with you (!) Ok so with all this in mind, I can now really enjoy my meal and gossip with my girlfriends :)
Does it bother you when people are on their phones?
Worth a read: Maintaining a good work life balance.
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