Smartphone obsessions have led to problems
It is easy to become addicted or obsessed about something. Since my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Tom presented me with my Great Grandma Louise’s chiming mantle clock for my contributions to the family tree project, I have become conscious of how fast time really passes. As a result, I’ve become obsessed with the clock.
It chimes on the hour and every half hour. It has taken some experimenting to determine how much to wind the clock. I don’t want to wind it too tight, and of course, not too loose or it will wind down.
Being concerned about whether I have taken proper care of winding my clock has caused me to often stop on the hour to count. When I miscount, then concern sets in. This makes me super aware of fleeting time. Sometimes I don’t hear the chimes, but that isn’t usually the case. Even my daughters have noticed how fast an hour can pass.
Maybe I have become obsessed with the clock. You may laugh, but it seems most people are obsessed with something. For many, it is their Smartphone. In the last seven years, Smartphones have become quite popular. Problems have arisen from this popularity. It seems we think we can’t live without our phones. People have even returned to burning homes to retrieve their precious phone. This has not ended well.
Studies prove that people have disconnected with people. According to the New York Post, Americans check their phones every twelve minutes or 80 times per day. An article on Inc. com reports that Millennials check their phones 150 times per day. Checking their phones so often is a sign of addictive behavior. Being distracted and unable to pay attention to people when together is seen as a serious detriment.
I check my phone more than I probably need to, but I don’t check it 80 times per day, thank heavens. I don’t have social media on my phone though so I don’t have to worry about that distraction. However, I see how people won’t set aside their phones and fidget with them as if not checking the device means they are missing something important. This is sad because what they are missing is living life now. They don’t even realize what they are missing, which is the sad part.
Another problem is encouraging our children with these addictions, whether innocently or intentionally. I heard a podcast on August 8 on Focus on the Family that said the later we introduce our children to technology such as social media and Smartphones, the better. These health concerns are real, and just because other parents think their 10-year-old needs a Smartphone, rarely does one need such a device until he is driving or working. We can be happier by disconnecting and getting away from technology for a while. Rarely will something bad happen that needs immediate attention.
Consequently, if you are feeling sad, may I recommend taking a break from social media and your phone? Get out and take a walk or bike ride with a friend. Go out to eat and visit. Try bowling. See a movie. Read a book. Learn a craft. Enjoy the peace and quiet and the sounds of birdsong. Hear a clock chime.
We can become obsessed about anything. I want to be addicted to healthy things like reading the Bible, choosing healthful foods, having engaging conversations, and exercising at a moderate level. I know folks who are addicted to exercise. That’s sad too.
There is wisdom to using all things in moderation. Too much of anything doesn’t equal anything good. We’ve got this one life on Earth. Therefore, let’s live it, really live it, because like I’ve noticed, time really does pass fast. I know. I have a chiming mantle clock.
Resources:
https://nypost.com/2017/11/08/americans-check-their-phones-80-times-a-day-study/
www.focusonthefamily.com/media/daily-broadcast/cultivating-wise-tech-habits-in-your-teen
6 Replies to “Smartphone obsessions have led to problems”
Oh, thank you, Michelle. I thought I might be addicted to my email. I check it two, maybe three, times a day. I guess I don’t need to worry about it too much. You are so right about people being addicted to their Smartphone. Some people will answer it, or check it, while in a conversation with someone standing right in front of them. I think it is good to point it out. Some people might not even realize they have a problem. Good topic.
Thank you, Donna. You are right about how distracted people can be with their phones especially when they are visiting with others. Hopefully with more awareness, we can reverse the trend and become healthier in our relationships and how we use technology.
Great article Michelle. As you know, cell phone use is one of my pet peeves. Even people in a group together cannot put it down and I find it incredibly rude. Whole families go out to dinner, and never talk to each other, just mess with their phones. Children of today will have no social skills at all, because they never have to interact face to face. And then there is the troublesome sites that they can be lured into, which again, has happened to our granddaughter and it is a shame at the least, and downright scary at the most. Thanks for addressing it Michelle.
Thank you, Deb, for sharing your thoughtful response. You hit on some more excellent points. Hopefully, as a society, we can reverse this trend for healthier use.
My husband calls the people who are constantly looking down at their cell phones, “the look down society”. We have watched people walking while looking at their phone and not even being aware of who is around them or the vehicles in their path. Very scary when we see people almost fall or almost get hit by vehicles because they are “looking down” instead of being aware. Great message Michelle
Thanks, Melissa. Yes, safety should be a priority. It is especially scary if people are looking down while they drive. It’s amazing how such a small yet powerful device has come to consume so much of our lives.