Smart Phones and Confidence

I’ve written before about the challenges and advantages of disconnecting from technology, particularly our smart phones.

I’ve recently read some articles that have hung with me and I haven’t been able to get them out of my mind.

The subject of said articles? Here is the title of one published on January 10, 2018, in Business Insider:

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs raised their kids tech-free — and it should’ve been a red flag.

A web search shows that similar articles were written back in 2014, and in their book, “Screen Schooled,” coauthors and educators Joe Clement and Matt Miles, make the case that “wealthy Silicon Valley parents seem to grasp the addictive powers of smartphones, tablets, and computers more than the general public does — despite the fact that these parents often make a living by creating and investing in that technology.”

Another recent read “Break Up with Your Phone” as better relationships start with less screen time.

And another “Are You Addicted to Your Smartphone?”

Earlier this week I was speaking to a group about “Growing in Confidence” and the topic “investing your time” was a part of that discussion. One gentleman in the audience – and I’m sure he spoke for many – commented that he was aware of the evening time he spent on his phone, when he could be doing other things that served him better.

Does that resonate with you? Even as the speaker (!) it did with me…as I evaluate my own phone use and grappling with questions around using social media to promote my business. The “break-up” article noted above states that social media is “designed to be addictive” and the default notification settings are meant to pull us in to use the apps as much as possible.

I want us to look more deeply at this topic in the next couple of issues, so please stay with me. I’ll give you some tools to assess your own use and quantify your habits.

Gigi