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11/14/2013

Hi. I'm Lena Schlabach, and I'm Addicted to My Phone.


It hit me like a ton of bricks as my daughter and I sat at the airport waiting for a connecting flight. Could it be? Am I...? Oh my goodness, it's true!
I'M ADDICTED TO MY PHONE!!!
As I looked around, I was one of the 75% of the people addicted to their phones.


If this is how we connect with people, are we now more connected?


I will probably get all kinds of opinions on this blog post.
I personally enjoy being connected to social media. I've experienced many amazing stories of connections and healthy relationships via Instagram and Blogger. Then there is Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr, Foursquare and sure I'm missed some.
When traveling, I like to # hashtag the city or place I'm spending time in, and, usually, I'll find local artists, activities, and food I would have missed using Google.


We check our phones 150 times a day, between apps, voice calls, texts, and utilities. That seems like a lot. If each interaction lasted an average of one minute, that would mean we are on our phones for over two hours a day. But are we?
I confess that I AM.
I am not proud of it, but this pie chart above has revealed the reality.


So what do I miss along the way by looking down at my phone?


Do I let challenging emails affect my mood?


Do I miss conversations with strangers by making phone calls in public?


YES! YES! YES!


So just like all things in life...there is good and bad in everything.

I have found that people that aren't on their phones a lot are much more reserved and guarded about letting people in their box. Is that a fair assumption?
I have also found that we're a society that would rather talk about a complicated issue through email or text rather than taking care of things in person, face-to-face.

I love seeing people's thoughts through pictures! So right now, my favorite social media connection is Instagram. I can see when people are happy and how they view themselves and others through the photographs they post. That, to me, is a positive connection.

So now that I have confessed that I'm addicted to my phone, I hope my next step is to do something about it:)


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