Step Away From the Phone

We have big news in our household. An announcement of sorts.

After three years (and many, many before that) we upgraded our dinosaur phones for newer, flashy, smart phones. I feel like I've entered the twenty-first century (or something). So much power. The world is at my fingertips! And by "world" I mean, the World Wide Web, because really, isn't there so much more to the world than what's offered on a phone?

Which is sort of my point here, I guess. Even though I made jokes about my Zach Morris phone, I kind of liked not having a smart phone. For the most part, I was perfectly happy living without checking Facebook or reading emails or Bubble popping whenever and wherever.  In fact, to be perfectly honest, I kind of turned my nose up at how often people pull out their phones and stare at the screens.

But, it's easy for me to be judgy-mc-judgerson when I don't have the siren song of a smart phone singing in my purse. It's easy for me not to be distracted by my phone at.all.times when I don't have a phone that offers much more than fuzzy pictures and minimal texting (which we had a limited number of per month anyway).

The reality is, I know myself. Even in my snobbery, I knew that if I had a smart phone of my own , I wouldn't be able to resist the allure of checking or playing or being on it at all times either. I was afraid to get a phone with AllTheThings because I knew that I too would become tied to the world at my fingers. I would be distracted by apps and Instagram and what is going on that little screen instead of around me.

And I am. I so, so am.

Having such a big technological distraction is too tempting. And, because it is new and exciting and all-things-exclamation-pointy to me, it is even harder to limit myself. I put off getting a smart phone for a long time, which is also an excuse I use to my current addiction. I haven't had a smart phone for years so now, while everyone else is scaling back and moving on and putting their phones away, I am in the stage they all were three years (or more) ago.  Can.Not.Stop.Looking.On.My.Phone.

Who can I text?

What can I check?

Why aren't people doing more on social media and entertaining me AT ALL TIMES!?

It's embarrassing to admit, really, how distracted I've been lately. How much my phone is taking away from my focus on the things around me, the people around me.

The first week I cut myself some slack because, it's a new toy and of course it's okay to overdose when it's brand-new. But my One Week is spilling into Two Weeks and I can see how quickly this could get out of hand. Put down the phone, Christine. Just Put.It.Down.

Still, I'm trying to give myself a little break. To not beat myself up too much. I am only human, after all. But, I'm aware of it. And I'm not okay with it. (The first step is admitting there's a problem and all of that.)

Now, if you'll excuse me I have to go check Instagram. I mean, play with my kids.

xoxo, christine