Thursday, October 9, 2014

Take a Tech Timeout in 3 Easy Steps

One thing about being in a tractor day-in and day-out is that I listen to a lot of radio and news.  (Personally for me, I stay tuned to a couple different AM-talk radio stations rather than music stations, primarily because talk radio keeps my attention and alertness and I can't stand listening to the same playlist everyday on music stations.  Anyways...)  There seems to be a new survey that is released everyday and discussed on talk radio, and yesterday, a survey from Highlights caught my attention about parents and their phone activity seen by their children.

Take a Tech Timeout in 3 Easy Steps - Study says we pick up our smartphones 1500 times a week
The "State of the Kid" survey asked children ages 6 to 12 if their parents are ever distracted or focused on other things when they are trying to talk to them and 62% said yes; the number one form of distraction cited - the cellphone.  When I heard this I immediately put down my cellphone!  All I thought was, would my kids answer yes too?  I would hope not, but part of me was afraid they might say yes.  Highlights then went on to ask the children what would happen if their parents lost their cellphones for a day.  Answers included that they'd "go crazy" or that they'd "be mad".  While part of me laughed when I heard these answers, the other part of me was sad.

I then decided that I needed to make sure that I didn't become one of these statistics, so here is what I'm doing starting today:
  1. Setting Phone Hours - I don't need to pick up or look at my phone every time it makes a beep.  Instead I'm setting certain hours where I'm keeping my phone down and ignoring it.  The easy times to separate myself from my phone are during meal times and bedtime.  Now I'm going to add an hour during the morning hours and an hour during the evening hours to at least start with.
  2. Not Checking Phone while in the Car - I know it is against the law but I do find myself scanning my phone while in the car.  I know this isn't safe too and I need to stop.  Plus, the car is the perfect time and opportunity to have discussions with my family.  
  3. Embrace Family Fun - I don't need to take a photo or tweet when my family and I are out enjoying ourselves.  I sometimes need to do a better job of living in the moment and one way of doing that is by keeping the phone down while having family fun.
Take a Tech Timeout in 3 Easy Step - The average US resident spends 6.5 hours per day on digital devices outside of work
So, do you find yourself distracted by your phone?  Would your kids say you get distracted by your phone?  What tips would you add?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!


And so you know, the other sources of distraction cited by the Highlights survey were bothersome siblings, work, TV, talking to other people, computers, cooking, housework and driving.

31 days from a Tractor Seat

(This post is a part of a 31 Days from a Tractor Seat series.  The best way to keep up with this series is to follow via email on the right sidebar of this post or by following on Bloglovin.  Also be sure to like the Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids Facebook page for daily updates from the field.)

14 comments:

  1. I agree- living the moment matters! Great post.

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  2. I completely agree! While I worked at a national park this summer, we had no cell reception and no internet. It was so nice to actually sit down and talk to people without cellphones getting in the way! One of the things I miss the most - no cell phones, no tv, no internet - just real conversations with great people. We forget sometimes how much we disconnect from those around us because of technology.

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    1. You make an interesting observation. Technology is suppose to connect us to others but at times, it is actually disconnecting us from each other!

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  3. Cell Phones have taken away meeting new friends I believe

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    1. I would agree. Instead we can stay connected with old friends who we probably wouldn't necessarily keep in contact with otherwise...

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  4. Completely agree! Yet, I don't change it? I try. I have tried. Still struggle with being "wired" to my smart phone...Great post!

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    1. Thanks! It is hard, but at least trying one step can make a difference for you and your family.

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  5. Good for you! This is tough even without kids! I caught myself doing it during a nice family dinner the other night out at a restaurant. How rude was I!?

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    1. That is the whole thing - I realized how much I just aimlessly checked my phone for no reason. Living in the moment is so important!

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  6. I have been working on this a lot! My 2 biggest time sucks on my phone are facebook and instagram so I have been deleting them every weekend, but I notice I STILL reach for my phone out of boredom/habit. I don't want Holtan to remember me with my nose in my phone. I have been leaving it in the car, or my purse, so I'm not tempted to look at it. Thanks for sharing this Val, it's really a concerning issue, especially with our littles!

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  7. I can say that I prefer to listen to music most of the time, it helps me get inspired and discover interesting moments that I might use in my music.

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  8. Listening to music has a wide range of benefits, especially when you're a music creator. I think it's also worth thinking about music promotion if you're in that industry, and with services like Spotify promotion, you won't have any problems with that. So if you're a musician, consider something like that as well.

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  9. This article struck a chord with me as a parent. The "State of the Kid" survey's findings on children feeling neglected due to their parents' phone use is a wake-up call. The three steps suggested for a "Tech Timeout" are practical and doable—I'm inspired to implement them in my own routine. It's a reminder to prioritize family moments over constant digital distraction. Great insights & Be cautious about 'free spotify followers' offers – authenticity matters more than numbers. Genuine engagement enhances your music journey, so focus on building an organic audience for lasting impact

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