At restaurants, during concerts, even in meetings. We see people more involved in what is happening on their screen than with the people in front of them. Beyond causing us to miss out on what is happening in real time (and annoying those around us), research shows that phone snubbing—or "phubbing"—has detrimental impacts on our relationships, mental health, and productivity.

1. FRIENDS
BEFORE
PHONES
Is ‘phubbing’ killing your career and relationships?

3. “WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THE INTERNET AND
CERTAIN FORMS OF COMPUTER USE ARE
ADDICTIVE…IT’S LIKE SLOT MACHINES. WE’RE
SEEKING THAT PLEASURABLE HIT”
SMARTPHONE USAGE — AN ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR?
David Greenfield

4. A VERY REAL AND GROWING ADDICTION
MORE PREVALENT BY THE DAY
▸ Information from texts, emails,
social notifications, et cetera is the
source of mood-altering power
▸ From dinners to meetings, people
are spending more time focused
on their screens and less on the
people in front of them
▸ TIME reports the average
smartphone user checks his
phone 46 times per day; other
studies show nearly double that
rate

5. “THE SMARTPHONE, MORE THAN ANY OTHER
GADGET, STEALS FROM US THE OPPORTUNITY
TO MAINTAIN OUR ATTENTION, TO ENGAGE IN
CONTEMPLATION AND REFLECTION, OR EVEN
TO BE ALONE WITH OUR THOUGHTS”
WHAT IS THE INTERNET DOING TO OUR BRAIN?
Nicholas Carr

6. A DYSFUNCTIONAL OBSESSION
FALSE SENSES OF HAPPINESS
▸ Staying plugged in can feel good
on the surface, but the ongoing
state detracts from mental, social,
and professional health
▸ When we can’t maintain focus at
work, we stifle creativity, make
more mistakes, lessen output, and
damage workplace satisfaction
▸ In relationships, 46.3% of adults
say their partners are guilty of
phubbing and 22.6% cite
contention as a result

7. “WE ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF
NERVOUS SYSTEM AROUSAL AND WITH ALL OUR PORTABLE
DEVICES ALL OPERATING ON A VARIABLE RATIO
REINFORCEMENT PATTERN. WE FEEL AS IF WE CANNOT TURN
THEM OFF AND WE BEGIN TO FEEL THAT WE CANNOT LIVE
WITHOUT THEM.”
Kimberly Young
CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT MOBILE DEVICES?

8. A 7-STEP SOLUTION
END YOUR PHUBBING HABIT ADDICTION

9. Out of sight = Out of mind
Seeing your phone entices you
to check it, whether consciously
or not
You don’t leave junk food out
when you diet. Treat digital
temptations the same way
Keep your phone out of your line
of sight when working and
socializing
PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY

10. You don’t have to be on a plane to
use airplane mode
Put your phone in airplane mode
during meetings and events
Prevent that innocent glance to
check the time from turning into
an unplanned app- and
notification-checking session
Once your face-to-face time is
over, simply disable airplane
mode and your digital world will
be right there where you left it
USE AIRPLANE MODE

11. You don’t need be alerted each
and every time you receive a
new email or get a new comment
on your Facebook post
Turn off push notifications and
badge app icons for every app
that you can
Schedule blocks of time for email
checking, reading the news, and
social networking
TURN NOTIFICATIONS OFF

12. If you can access something on
desktop, do you really need it on
mobile, too?
Apps exist for everything you
want, but the truth is that we
don’t need much. Help yourself:
1) Delete apps you never use or need
2) Delete apps you don’t want to
use but are in the habit of checking
3) Put your most distracting apps into
a folder called “Distractions” and
move it off your home screen
DELETE UNNECESSARY APPS

13. People report that food tastes
better when phones are put away;
enjoyment of other activities is
likely impacted in a similar way
Choose activities like mealtime,
walking, and even lying in bed
where you will go phone-free
You may feel anxiety at first, but
note how much more you
experience and remember when
you are present in the moment
instead of tied up in apps
DESIGNATE PHONE-FREE
ACTIVITIES

14. Ask friends, family, and
coworkers to help you stay on
track
Ask if you can do the same for
them
If you worry about tension or
awkwardness when you remind
each other, create a playful code
word for slip-ups up or gamify
the process by making it
incentive-based
ASSIGN ACCOUNTABILITY
PARTNERS

15. You will slip up at times and
that’s okay
As with any resolution, it’s
important to track your progress,
remain accountable, and
celebrate successes
A super simple resolution tracker
is often all you need
Beyond tracking your phone
time, note changes in levels of
appreciation and quality of life
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

16. STOP PHUBBING, STARTING WITH ONE OF THE WORST DISTRACTIONS: EMAIL