Last year I wrote a blog entitled “New Years Resolution Apps“. This blog gave people suggestions on ways they could use their iPhone to help them with their New Years Resolution goals.
This year – I’m offering a bit of different advice….
Put your phone down.
This past weekend I saw the movie Her by Spike Jonze. The plot of the movie goes like this: A lonely writer, Theodore Twombly, develops an unique relationship with his phone’s new operating system. This operating system has a intellect level that matches your personality and can provide for your every need.
He finds dependence upon this technology, ultimately falling in love with the OS named “Samantha”.
Her has gone on to win many awards this season including Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes and I think it’s because the film really resinates with the audience.
People are becoming too dependent on technology, too attached to their social media worlds and losing site on reality. This year my New Years Resolution will be to detach myself from my phone.
This past Christmas I put the phone down for my family’s Christmas parties and I enjoyed it so much I want to make it a goal of mine this year – focus on what’s in front of me and not live in a digital realm.
Interested in getting back to reality as well?
Here are some tips on how you can detach yourself from tech:
1. Limit your time online by only checking email and your Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/etc. account to only one or two times per day. Most of the time if you take the time to think about it, that more than enough time! Stop worrying if something important is happening online without you. If anything is vitally important – people know the best way to get in touch with you.
2. Turn your phone off from time to time. Nothing bugs me more than when I am out to eat with someone and their phone goes off in the middle of our conversation. What’s worse is that people have gotten in the habit of checking who called or texted immediately after. When you are with somebody else take that time to listen to them and be in the moment. Don’t find distance through your phone screen.
3. Cut your phone from everyday activities. You may have gotten use to using your phone as an mp3 player during your jogs or as an alarm clock in the morning. But what happens when you do this? You check your phone first thing after turning off your phone and get interrupted by a call or text during your run that completely crushes your focus. Buy an alarm clock and learn to run without a phone. Be “one” with nature…or something like that.
These are just a few suggestions. You know the best ways to get the phone out of your life so – do it!
Let’s make it a great year where we focus on friends, family and environmental surroundings.