Your smartphone connects you to everything and everyone. It grants access to whatever you want, whenever you want it but have you ever wondered if it’s costing you opportunities for true face to face connections.
It takes more courage to connect in person in the real world, as opposed to the digital world. When something is done online it is done on your own terms, which reduces the risk of nasty surprises. It’s much easier to be your best self online and share as much or as little as you ant others to see. When you are face-to-face with someone, you might feel much more exposed and vulnerable since it’s harder to hide your emotions. The safer option is to hide behind your screen, but how often do you switch it off?
Reduced Focus
One of the key components of good mental health is the ability to give your brain a rest. You do this by meditating, taking a walk. Using smart phones can take away your ability to fully disconnect. It makes it hard to focus on the task at hand.
Impaired relationships
Eye contact helps to cultivate empathy and intimacy. Repeatedly interrupting this to check your phone could undermine the trust held between two people.
The less you look at each other , the harder it becomes to do so. The less you’re noticed in a relationship, and the more devalued you feel, the harder it is to be vulnerable and ask for love. It’s the small things that make up a relationship. Putting down your phone can make all the difference. You don’t have to spend every moment together in mindful connection, but create and protect t pockets of time where you look into each other’s eyes and talk.
- Commit to phone-free activities that you complete alone, such as a lunchtime stroll, and use this time to experiment with mindfulness.
- Make phone free dates with friends and notice how this changes the dynamic between you.
- Write about your experiences to help you focus on what you’re gaining rather than losing.
