In a relationship with our mobiles

As I start my blog post I find one of the ways I start many of my blog posts goes something like "it's been a long time since I've posted something" and this is the case again. I have to write when I feel an inspiration to write something like I do now and when I have time. I had Christmas and New Year since my last blog post which are working days for me and in January I had a month holiday and I spent the month in Africa visiting South Africa and Zimbabwe. Of course in Africa you have to climb to the top of a mountain with your laptop to pick up the wifi signal from a satellite. If you believed what I just wrote I think you need to put a trip to Africa on your to do list.

Back to my blog and how I appreciate having one that's one of the good sides of modern technology at least it allows us to have an online blog. I imagine if I had to write in a book, the book would have gathered dust many times with my lack of writing haha. It would also make it harder to share my blog with people around the world. And this is where my blog begins today on the subject of technology. Particularly on the subject of mobile phones.

My idea for this blog came when I was on holiday in South Africa. I had a Samsung Galaxy S3 which I'd had for just over two weeks and it was stolen on my holiday. Not having a phone myself (my spare blackberry with missing buttons was hardly a replacement) it made me observe the effect of mobile phones on people a lot more. Of course I am affected myself and seem to have caught this disease too.

This picture I saw online also added to my thoughts:

My blog post fits in to February the month of love with the love of mobile phones. I remember years ago the old "brick" phones that my parents owned that to me were the most amazing piece of technology. Now days your mobiles can do so much more. With the more they can do it seems the more the attachment grows. The more you feel the need to take it out even whilst in present company. The need to look at your phone and disappear into the world of virtual communication while there are people that you can have a live conversation with around you. I've never met a person who can truly concentrate on you and their mobile at the same time. Responses from people using their mobile phones while you are in their company are either delayed or non existent.

The point I am making and I am as much guilty as we all are when it comes to mobiles or at least the majority of the world is that it's distracting us from what is around us and who is around us. Everyone has different levels of attachment to their mobiles, not all are as affected. Considering February is the month of love well every year a lot of people are in a relationship with their mobile phones, myself included.

When you go out with friends or family the amount of mobiles on the restaurant table is amazing. The mobiles have be within reach on the table instead of in our bags or pockets because imagine the catastrophe if people could not look at their phone the second it makes a noise. The whole world could stop turning. We have to use our mobile phones constantly with people or no people around for the environment's sake. Of course I am being sarcastic but I'm illustrating the fact that mobile phones are also glued to the human being. There may even be talks of adding it to a part of the human anatomy. No, no it wont be added, sarcasm again. If you know me, you'll know I'm sarcastic. If you don't brace yourself (I'm joking I'm not that bad :) )!

I am not lashing out about mobiles or people who use them, I love having an awesome phone myself, in fact I am getting the same mobile phone I had before soon. If anything I am more guilty than almost anyone else I know for being on my mobile. I love being on my mobile but maybe it's time to to choose the right time for our mobiles. I do actually use my phone the most when I'm alone because of course it helps me communicate with people I know and that circle I can communicate with on my mobile has even grown to friends and family who aren't in the same country as me because of all the thousands of social applications you get on your phone. I love the fact that you can communicate with everyone you know around the world. That is what I like the most about it.

A thought about this whole subject of mobile phones that stuck with me is when we're in company maybe our mobiles shouldn't be visible or used to the very minimum when we get an opportunity rather than in the middle of a conversation. Mobiles as amazing as they are, they are also a distraction. They distract us from the people or things around us. People talk to us, we don't hear what they said because we have our phone. We're watching a show and we miss a part of it because of our phone. We're walking somewhere and we miss seeing things around us because our eyes are glues to our phones.

I'll even tell you a story that happened to me last year. I was on my phone texting whilst walking down the street in my town and I walked straight in to a pole because I wasn't looking where I was going. Haha! You see mobiles can have people hooked. Not all situations apply to everyone but I am sure anyone can think of a scenario where they have proved as a distraction.

I am not saying I am not going to have a mobile, I like having a latest mobile but I am saying maybe it's time to try and be more considerate to the people around us. Using your phone when you're home or alone is different then you can be inseparable. In company that's where it can be a problem.

On a serious note people die every year in car accidents caused by drivers who were on mobile phones and not paying attention to the road and mostly the innocent people they crash in to are the ones who lose their life. Cars have proper mobile phone sets and Bluetooth to use for driving it's better to use those if you answer call while driving. That's also an area about mobile phones people really need to look at improving. Texting is even more dangerous while driving.

I am thinking of a time when people meet up and have just the pleasure of each others company. I am thinking of a room where people talk while they're in the same room and don't text. I am thinking of a time where people walk and see the world rather than the world and sights around them pass them by because they're on a mobile. Well we can create this every day. Every time we are out we can make a point to not take our mobiles out as much.

We need to call people sometimes. We need to reply texts. We need to be in touch. We don't need our mobile phones in our hand 24/7 to do any of those. In moments there are opportunities, those are the times to use your phone in company. I am not against anyone who using their phone in company but use it properly. Not ignoring everything around you.

Whilst I and the vast population of the world is in a relationship with our mobiles it's time to realise that unlike other relationships our mobiles can't leave us and walk away even if we ignore them for a while.

So while February is the month of love and relationships with those you love and most of it is about love flourishing while I am encouraging less of a flourishing relationship with our mobiles because I am encouraging more love and flourishing relationships with the people in our company.

Thank you for reading my blog :). I love to write, always have, always will.

I would love to hear your feedback or thoughts on this blog post or any of my blog posts :). I have quite a few blog posts on this blog on a range of subjects and you're welcome to browse through them.

If you have twitter you can also follow me @nicolahill7.

Until I write again,
God Bless,
Nicola Hill