Great Morning, Team!
A couple of weeks ago, my son and I ventured out to meet up with several of my Syracuse University alumni to see one of our own classmates play the role of the Duke in Moulin Rouge on Broadway. It was a fabulous musical. The set, the costumes, the music and acting were superb! Overall, it was one of those rare, wonderful days where everything was perfect. The weather was beautiful, the event was amazing, and the people around you were deeply connected WITH you and an absolute joy to be with.
Amidst my perfect day, it was the end of Act I, and during the 15-minute intermission, we as a group didn’t waste a minute to continue our conversations where we left off, chatting away in our seats. There was so much to catch up on to discuss: kids, jobs, health, history, life, and the future for each of us and our families. During the last few minutes of the intermission, I stood up for a well-needed stretch. To my surprise, from where I was sitting at the back of the orchestra section, I could see cell phones lit up everywhere. It was a startling realization that even when we are present with one another, part of our reality is this choice to spend our time with a screen, “doom-scrolling”, posting on Social or texting, and perhaps not quite conscious of what we are missing or what we are leaving behind when we do so. I am guilty of this as well. The question is why? What drives us to a screen versus a person sitting with us? Is it because we seek attention? Fear of missing out? Validation? Approval-seeking, counting the “likes” on a post we’ve just sent? Or perhaps multi-tasking, trying to make room for more, or even just plain boredom?
Whatever our reasons are, realized or unrealized, we leave ourselves removed in those moments from the meaning-making of in-person connections. We are allowing our cell phones to take priority, stealing our attention and our precious time away from each other. Sound dramatic? Maybe. Maybe not. Admittedly, I have a heightened awareness of this more now than ever, given several health factors and upcoming milestones for my family, such as graduations, birthdays and anniversaries. Life is short. Too short. So how do we place away our phones and enjoy being in the moment with others, without feeling like we are missing out on something? Could we be addicted to our phones, and not even realize it?
Enclosed is an article from Harvard Business Review for our consideration, titled, “Do You Have a Phone Addiction,” by Alyson Meister, Professor of Leadership at International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Nele Dael, Senior Behavioral Scientist, leading projects at IMD. (Click here for article.) The editorial begins with the discussion of an experiment of what happened when participants surrendered their phones for just one evening and had them returned the next day. It also shares the signs of what a phone addiction looks like, and how to regain control over it.
In the end, time is precious, and however we choose to spend it is our choice alone. I believe every moment matters, and I wish you the gift of making the most of them all.
What is your perspective? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Wishing you all a Better We, Better Week! 😊
Lori Beth
