Where is my PHONE!? Can you imagine life without it?

Cell phones are awesome. Think about it…you have a PDA (personal digital assistant), a HD camera, HD video camera, a voice recorder, a gaming source, and a PHONE all in one. They keep us in touch with our loved ones through social media, phone conversations, video chats, and can actually be a life saver in case of emergency. In just a matter of less than ten years we went from having all separate to being all-in-one.  I love them but at times they can be SUPER annoying if not used properly!

Have you ever been in a meeting or at a dinner where the person you are with constantly is looking at their phone? I just want to tell them, remember, you don’t have to have your phone on you at all times.  Let me help you turn off the notifications and actually be present in this moment.

Do you know that the manufacturers of apps have one main goal?  Make money! That is business 101.  To make money they need to get your attention.  They know that your brain loves certain sounds.  Ask anyone who works in the casino gaming industry.  They have the science of sound and imaging mastered.  The app companies have used that science to get your attention with notifications.  Don’t get used by the app companies, learn how to control your notifications so they don’t control you.  Simple little steps like this can help you to be in control of the device, instead of the device being in control of you.

My good friend traveled to California to walk through the Muir Woods National Park.  It was on her bucket list.  There she was sharing a moment with nature, except she wasn’t.  People’s phones were ringing; they were talking like they had lost all their hearing.  In a moment that could have been so filled with peace and serenity it was filled with disruption and distraction and she felt like she was sitting at the local coffee house.  If she could not find peace and connect with nature in that moment, standing in a red wood forest, then where?

At our house we have “Tech Free Tuesday”. It is a time when the cell phones, tablets, and any other electronic devices are put aside to focus on what’s important….family! You know, Family?  Those amazing people that love you no matter what. The art of conversation is becoming lost as we rely more and more on digital communication. As a person who knows life before devices I am finding that it is our role to mentor the next generation to experience what is outside the device.  I highly recommend you try T.F.T., you will find it to be an awesome experience.

Here are a few etiquette thoughts on cell phone use!

1. Be in control of your phone, don’t let it control you!
2. Speak softly, your conversation isn’t for the entire community to hear.
3. Be courteous to those you are with; turn off your phone if it will be interrupting a conversation or activity.
4. Watch your language, especially when others can overhear you.
5. Avoid talking about personal or confidential topics in a public place.
6. If it must be on and it could bother others, use the silent ring mode and move away to talk.
7. Don’t make calls in a library, theater, church, or from your table in a restaurant.
8. Don’t text during a conversation or a meeting at your job.
9. Private information can be forwarded, so don’t ever text it.
10. NEVER drive and use your phone at the same time.

I meet a lot of people and I put a lot of cell phones out into the community.  I love what I do and I love teaching people about all the latest apps and tools. As cell phones continue to do more and more I like to remind people that with this great device comes great responsibility.