Phone Habits

Emily Fisher

Instagram. Snapchat. Facebook. Gmail. LinkedIn when I’m incredibly bored.

I’m guilty of over-checking all of my social media accounts – especially when I’m bored or am waiting around (like at a red light or in grocery store line). It makes time move faster, but it also takes my attention off the real world. Instead of checking my phone, I could pick up a news magazine and read what’s going on in the world. Or, even better, I could be social and actually acknowledge the people around me.

Nowadays it seems like everyone is more interested in getting the perfect photo or snapchat that they don’t even live in the moment. They just live through looking at their phone screens.

One of my friends sends so many snapchats that it’s like he sends them nonstop when he’s out. I like watching them, but I’m also thinking: “Why do you have to be on your phone all the time? Why can’t you just enjoy the moment without documenting every second?”

I’ve gotten a lot better at putting my phone down. I don’t even bring it to the gym because I know I’d be tempted to look at my Facebook between sets. I realized yesterday that I don’t even miss having my phone there as a crutch to pass time. I instead look around or just bask in the quietness. I don’t even worry if someone is trying to call or text – I’ll get back to them when I get home.

I’m trying to break the “I need my phone” habit. Do I really care what so-and-so updated on their Facebook? Probably not. So why am I spending tons of my free time looking at my newsfeed?

I’m getting tired of Instagram and am thinking about unfollowing people because I always see the same pictures: some blogger doing the whole blogger thing with the white background and the coffee mug and glitter somewhere. You know what I’m talking about. It’s not boring to look at. They’re really great photos! But, they’re pretty much all.the.same. And it’s boring me.

I’ve realized I’m a bad blogger because I don’t care about getting the perfect photo. I don’t care about editing my photos until they’re perfect. I don’t care about twitter or having a facebook page for my blog.

/end rant

… Now stay tuned. Let’s see how many photos I take this weekend in Dallas :)