Are You A Cell Phone Addict

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Do you feel like you are on “brain overload” much of the time? Today’s world has become so digital, with electronic messages bombarding us from all directions constantly. Plus, our busy schedules keep us frantically moving as we try to balance responsibilities at home with our careers. Taking time off to be quiet and reflect sounds almost impossible! And when we do, we keep our phones close by just in case someone needs us.

One recent phenomenon has been our addiction to our electronic devices. It has become such a global problem that it now has a name—Nomophobia!  If you experience anxiety when you run out of the house without your phone or when it is dead, or if you keep it close by when you are sleeping or having an intimate time with your mate, then you are a Nomophobe.

With all its virtues, today’s electronic age has brought with it requests that expect immediate replies, superficial relationships and distractions that can totally ruin our days, or worse, even kill us. We have become so dependent on our devices that, in one study, 94% of respondents felt panicked, desperate or sick when we have misplaced our phones, compared to only 6% who felt relieved.

The CHINET® company recognized that people were not getting together in person like they had in the past. Gone are the days of regular company picnics and family days at the park. Instead, we are beholden to our hectic schedules and “convenient” technological advances. They commissioned a study of 1,000 people, aged 18-64, who had communicated via at least two technology platforms in the past week, such as email, text messaging and social media. Here’s what they found:

Nearly 30% had not socialized in person in the past month.

The largest share of our total connections is virtual.

We spend on average 23 hours per week with technology platforms.

Here are some other interesting facts about Nomophobes, from other recent studies.

66% of the population suffers from nomophobia

66% of people sleep with their smartphones

20% would rather go shoeless for a week than go without their phones

11% of Americans with smartphones would rather leave home without their pants than their phones

55% of women would rather leave home without makeup

29% would rather leave home without cash

Men could go 9 hours without their phones; women only 7 hours

Average smartphone user checks email and texts on phone 110 times a day

How is technology affecting your life? Are your relationships suffering? Is precious time being wasted every day due to the distractions of your mobile devices?

Too much of a good thing can be harmful, and this seems to be true with technology. If your brain is so overloaded that you can’t think clearly, if you haven’t actually spoken with friends and family in a long time and/or you are overcome with anxiety when your cell phone battery dies, practice going “cold-turkey” from technology—even a little bit at a time—and reengage with the world. Call a friend or two, or better yet, have lunch and have real, face-to-face conversation. Have some daily quiet time to nourish your mind and soul. Take a walk and soak in the beauty around you. Unplug and just “be” instead of always doing.

Today, make a vow to “kick the habit” of being so tied to your mobile devices. Let your creativity, your productivity and your relationships flourish as you devote more time to being focused instead of distracted. Shut down your email and social media for a while and clear your mind, finding freedom in the quiet times of your day.

Sources:

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Internet Trends 2013 Annual Report http://www.kpcb.com/blog/2013-internet-trends.

Chinet “The Lost Art of Getting Together” Quanatitative Exploration of Consumer Attitiudes and Behavior  https://www.mychinet.com/uploads/lostart/Results.pdf.

T Mobile Study, conducted by Kelton Research http://mashable.com/2012/07/13/nomophobia-infographic/.

Susan Tolles is a Certified Christian Life Purpose Coach. To find out more about her work of helping women find their life’s purpose, visit http://theflourishinglife.today/.