🌼 Wake-Up Call: How Dependent Are We on Our Phones? [Start Fresh Mini]
Welcome to this Start Fresh mini from the Om WOW Podcast! Let’s reset our mindset and start the week with clarity and intention.
Listen to the short episode:
Episode 2: Transcript
Recently I woke up to the sound of my dog whining eeeeerly in the morning. I leaned over, grabbed my phone off the table next to my pillow, and pushed the side button instinctively to wake up my phone so I could turn on the flashlight. But it wasn’t waking up. And I had an almost panicked feeling– like Oh NO! Did I break it? Is it dead?
As I continued to sleepily push the button harder again and again, my brain finally woke up and I remembered– oh yeah. the battery was almost dead, so I shut it completely off last night because I didn't have a charger handy. So I got out of bed, and my dog was at the bedroom door, wanting me to open it and let her out into the livingroom. Apparently, her water bowl in the livingroom tastes better than the one in the bedroom. And she was letting me know she wanted a drink from the livingroom.
Anyway. It was kind of dimly lit in the livingroom, and with my sleepy brain I was trying to determine what time it was… should I get up now and start my day? I pressed the side button on my phone AGAIN instinctively… nope, still nothing. It's not even on, remember? And I had some unkind thoughts to myself of “DUH! You just checked it. It’s not on.” I glanced at the digital display on my stove and saw it was almost a quarter to 5am. So I begrudgingly decided that it was “close enough” to 6am and got up.
It struck me as a literal wake up call that my cell phone has become such an ever present tool that I reach for it automatically for routine tasks. In my foggy, barely awake state, I needed a flash light and a clock, which both now equal PHONE.
Why do I now instinctively reach for my phone so often? And expect it to be ready for me immediately? Why did I feel almost panicked when I thought it was dead or broken? I’d prefer to not have ANY object or tool FEEL so critical in my life.
I’m curious, what do YOU think about all the roles cell phones now play in our lives?
It also made me wonder… am I using my phone too much? I’m mindful of my device usage, and I removed social media apps from my phone already about a year ago. I also have all notifications shut off. But still, today was a wakeup call that I”m still more dependent on it than I’d like.
I respect the functionality and helpfulness of my phone, AND I choose freedom from being overly dependent on it or attached to it.
How attached are you to your cell phone? How much do you depend on it? How many things do you use it for? How often is it glued to your hip, and how much time is it in your hands each day?
As you start this week, think about your relationship with your phone, and how you feel about the amount of time you’re looking at it or fiddling with it. Is it nearly permanently attached to your hand? Are you happy with how things are right now, or do you choose to reduce your dependency on your phone?
Just for this week, as you go about your days, I suggest you take a silent notice of the people around you, out in public, and just observe how much habitual, unconscious, automatic phone use you see. Restaurants are a great place for this. I often see many people looking down at their phones instead of interacting in person with the other people at their table.
I also saw a smiling 2 year old clapping her hands for me as I walked the track last night, and I observed that her parents were standing near her, with their hands and eyes fully focused on their phones. She was adorable! Her mom looked up as I passed by and said, “She’s clapping for you!” and I waved to the child and said “thank you.” And I felt sad that in all my loops around the track, she wasn’t getting any attention or communication from two people she likely loved very much.
I invite you to observe without judging. Yes, that can be difficult, but learning the skill of observing versus judging good or bad, right or wrong is key to how you interact with others AND yourself.
Observe yourself this week. Observe without judgement. How much you use your phone is not defined by “good” or “bad.” Just observe, and then I invite you to think about if your current phone relationship is serving you well or not.
Enjoy the week ahead and I encourage you to move through your day with intention.
If this mini gave you a mindset boost, pass it on! Comment below & let me know— your energy makes a difference.
Meet Our Host: Jennifer Robin O’Keefe
Jennifer Robin serves as a relatable, down-to-earth, REAL Wellness & Success Coach. She’s not a fancy, perfect makeup, airbrushed kind of woman. She’s been told many times, in a variety of environments, that she’s easy to talk to, and makes others feel welcome and comfortable. Her mission in life is both simple and profound: to make others feel worthy.
Professionally, Jennifer holds several wellness certifications including Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping, Thought Field Therapy (TFT) Tapping, Reiki, and more. She continuously expands her knowledge in the fields of Qi Gong, Xien Gong, Vibration/Energy Wellness and Natural Health. She also studied extensively with Jack Canfield, and serves as a Certified Canfield Trainer, authorized to teach "The Success Principles."
She’s an active reader and researcher who loves to learn, and one of her biggest joys is teaching and sharing what she’s discovered with others.