iPhone Generation (Photo credit: xcode)

Do you find yourself getting distracted with your cell phone?  Are you noticing that you are not accomplishing all the things you would like in your day?  As technology has become such a part of everyone’s lives we all have been affected by: a cell phone ringing; others holding conversations in public places; people not paying attention while reading blogs or researching sites; watching You Tube videos; and playing games on these devices.

Most people have been distracted by these situations or people. Here are two classes of people that this affects.  First, the people who are distracted by using the devices.  Second, the people in the environment that are distracted by others who use these devices.  Finally, we all need to stand up and help people learn proper etiquette.

Are you interested in safety, preventing injury, and concentrating on the task at hand? If not, you should be!  With all the time constraints on daily living, it’s important to stay focused and prevent injury and distractions.  The following are a few simple tips to avoid cell phone distractions.

Before you can identify your cell phone distractions, you need to identify your weaknesses. What are your weaknesses? Is it email? Instant messenger? Social networks? You tube?   Figure out how, when, where and what will work to prevent your life from being consumed by our technology.

How? When? Where? What?

• How does this affect your life?
• How can you change it?
• When will you set aside time to use devices?
• When is the best time to return telephone calls?
• Where is best place to return calls, take messages?
• Where is the place free of distractions?
• What will you do?  Set your priorities.
• What is your response? Think about what you need to say and get to the point when returning business calls.

 AVOIDING CELL PHONE DISTRACTIONS

• Set aside a certain time of day to take and place telephone calls
• Make these calls in a private and quiet room
• Others are annoyed when they need to listen to your conversations
• They find this inconsiderate behavior to take calls while in the same room
• Let your friends and family know the best time of day to call
• Tell them not to expect you to call or text during a specific timeframe such as: 9-5 pm
• Do not answer telephone calls 24/7

NEVER ANSWER OR TEXT 

• Never answer the telephone while driving
• Never place a telephone call while driving
• Never text while driving
• Pull over if you find it necessary to use your cell phone for any purposes
• If you forget to do something at home because of a cell phone distraction it’s an inconvenience, but if you are distracted while driving it can be life-threatening!

Be courteous, Don’t be rude! While visiting with friends, relatives or others

• Do not read text messages
• Do not answer calls
• Do not listen to voicemail
• Do not play games
• Do not play You Tube videos
• Do not read blogs
• Do not respond to dating sites
• Do not read email or respond to email
• Do not read social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, My Space)
• Never prevent or delay others from engaging in social or planned activities while you talk on cell or use these devices. Take the call later.  If it’s important enough they will leave a message.
• If you are leaving or engaging in another gathering take a few moments to listen to the message if their is a possibility that it could be urgent or if it causes you further angst.  Then continue on with your day and return the call later.

Please….never take a telephone to the dinner table.  

This is rude and selfish.  You will find this in every age group.  The older generation is easy to point out how rude the younger generation plays games and text messages during a visit.  You can learn about real person-to-person contact with direct communication.  But, this holds true while the older generation engages in telephone conversation while visiting with others. Either way, any type of technology use is not acceptable while visiting with others.

If you don’t like others texting and playing games on smartphones, it is expected that you also will not text, games or converse while in the presence of others.  Be considerate to others. This world isn’t about just you, and it’s easy to forget that if the telephone call is yours, if the text message is yours, or the game is yours.  No, the world is not all about you!

Turn these devices “OFF” or “SILENCE”.  Vibration mode causes distractions and the need to check who is calling. If you forget to turn it off and the phone rings ignore it and let the voicemail get the message.  It’s easier to plan for a response if you pick the message up on voicemail.  Practice ignoring the ring and become disciplined to prevent distractions in your day. Of course, if you have the time to chat…feel free to do so!

Remember that telephone calls are private conversations.  These conversations can only be private if you take the calls in a quiet room.  Others don’t want to hear your conversation.  It’s a huge distraction to others that are exposed to your conversation.  This is down right rude!  Keep Mr. and Mrs. Manners in check!

When others are watching television or in a discussion it is rude to start holding your own conversation in the same room.  Remove yourself from the room and continue your conversation somewhere else.

Allow yourself time when you are taking a break “Me time” from other responsibilities to pick up voicemail, text messages and return calls. Return to work, studying or previous activities and don’t be consumed by modern technology.

Whatever the distraction is and if you don’t have enough self-discipline, simply place the device or devices out of reach.  While driving place it in the trunk or back seat.  Do not leave it near your bed if you have the tendency to answer.  Your sleep is important.  Do not let these devices take over your life.

You must take control of this device and keep self-control.  Self-control with technology is timing, self-discipline, and setting priorities.  Set aside uninterrupted time to listen back to voicemail, pick up and respond to text messages, read emails, and other interests.

The best communication is uninterrupted communication. Uninterrupted communication is important whether you are in person or on the telephone.  

Related articles

• Your Cell Phone is a Government Agent Spying on You (proparanoid.wordpress.com)
• Text me marketing (examiner.com)
• Can technology prevent distracted driving? (news.consumerreports.org)
• Are Smartphones, Droid and the iPhone Ruining Our Lives?… (psychcentral.com)
• 12 Tips to Cut Your Cell Phone Bill (sacratomatovillepost.com)
• Mobile and Text Message Marketing: The Statistics (snapgiant.com)
• OMG! Texting Ups Truthfulness, New UM Study Suggests (detroit.cbslocal.com)