How nomophobic are you?

The other day I forgot my smartphone at home.  I had forgotten to charge it the night before so plugged it in while I showered.  Alas, as I boarded the train I realised... no podcasts for me.  But also, no texts, emails, Instagram, Twitter or Sudoku game.  It was a very long day.

 The smartphone was introduced to the world by Steve Jobs 10 years ago.  Since then it has become part of our daily lives.  According to a survey by ReportLinker, nearly half of American's check their smartphones as soon as they wake up... and just before they go to sleep.  1 in 10 even wake up and check it during the night.

 We have become so dependent on our phones, that we can even suffer from separation anxiety.  Nomophobia is the fear of being without your mobile device and as we grow more reliant on our smartphones, this anxiety could become a big issue in the future.

 Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCB, BCN, of the Interactive Media Institute says that by turning off technology periodically, individuals can become comfortable with periods of disconnectedness.

 So why not start a Shutoff Sunday and disconnect for the day?  Or introduce your digital detox in baby steps by turning off push notifications and leave your phone in a different room at night.  Slowly increase your efforts until you're ready to try being offline for a full day.
Picture Credit - Pixabay



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday scones

Image
Teatime treats on a Sunday?  Scones are perfect.  Here is a delicious recipe that I got from my cousin Jenny, a legend in the kitchen.  Check out her scrumptious scones  on Instagram. Jenny's Scones Ingredients: 225g plain flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons baking powder 2 tablespoons caster sugar 55g butter 3/4 cup milk, water and 1 beaten egg mix Method: 1.  Preheat oven to 200'C (180'C for a fan-oven) 2.  Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and add the sugar. 3.  Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 4.  Add the milk mix and knead lightly into a soft dough. 5.  Toss with floured hands until smooth, then roll out about 2cm thick & cut into rounds. 6.  Bake for 10-15 mins.  Serve with strawberry jam and cream Sunday scones
Read more

I am not my hair

Image
This week I stumbled across 'Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations' podcast.  Oprah Winfrey was an acclaimed talk show host.  The Oprah Winfrey Show  aired for 25 seasons from 1986 to 2011.  She founded the Oprah Winfrey Network  in 2011 on which her daytime series SuperSoul Sunday  is shown.  The show includes weekly conversations with top thinkers and inspiring speakers. This month Oprah has released a personal selection of these interviews on her podcast Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations.   I've said before how much I love podcasts, and even Oprah's giving it a go, so there must be something to them!   I listened to India.Arie (parts 1 and 2).  I wouldn't say that I was a huge fan of India.Arie but I do like her songs  Video and I am not my hair .  Her lyrics are about worthiness and self-empowerment and she always comes across as a strong, not to be messed with woman.  So it was interesting to hear her talk openly about her struggles.  Her disappointment aft
Read more

Top 3 Things to do in Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Image
We recently spent 5 glorious days in Rarotonga, it was truly paradise.  On arrival at the airport we received beautiful eis of fragrant magnolias.   Me with my Ei Here are my top 3 island musts. 1.  Attend an Island Night show We went to the show at the Crown Beach Hotel in Arorangi which featured the Akirata Dance Troupe.  Cook Islanders are known for their singing and dancing and the hour long show does not disappoint. 2.  Try a Raro Buggy Tour There are several ways to explore the island.  Cars and scooters are reasonable to hire, and there is also a bus service which runs either clockwise or anti-clockwise around the island.  But this tour was the best!  Hop into a buggy for an experience like no other! 3. Muri Night Markets The Muri Night Markets are open from 5-8pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.  The Cook Islands are beautiful islands, but being islands most things need to be imported.  While food can be brought in from New Zealand, gro
Read more