Are You or Are You Not Gadget Obsessed?

Gadget obsession has now become a common concern. This is especially true to those in a relationship, where one’s uncontrollable gadget fetish impedes intimacy and privacy of personal meetings. Well, here are some reminders and suggestions to manage gadget obsession.

Gadget-Obsession Causes Stress

A third of Britain’s population suffer difficulty in turning off their devices and are therefore stressed over excessive and constant checking of emails, calls and text messages they get from bosses. Some 65% of British people want to be off the grid to de-stress.

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Frances Booth, a digital distraction author, said that chronic use of smartphones and tablets has an “unhealthy effect on stress levels”. Sleep expert Jason Ellis confirmed that stress prevents a person to sleep well.

Gadget-Obsession Destroys Relationships

Device addicts or cyber zombies may often keep in touch with peers and family via social media, but this does not entirely convey into healthy relationships. Some users are too caught up with mobile computing that they overlook face-to-face communication, and instead become rude and thoughtless.

A report said that gadget obsession leads to people becoming conversation-killers, pavement-stealers, buggy-tippers, and bête noir of shoppers – an annoying bunch that slows down queues and causes accidents. Well, it’s never easy to change diapers or flip pancakes with one hand on the phone, right?

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Dealing with Gadget Obsession

When device usage has become an addiction or obsession, it gets in the way of your productivity and relationships. You need to be more sensitive of your surroundings and considerate of others, particularly those who need your time and attention. A million “Likes” could not amount to a sincere and personal “Hello”.

When on a date or meeting, switch all gadgets off or silent mode. That way, there’s nothing to distract you throughout the course of the meeting. If you badly need to answer that phone, excuse yourself appropriately.

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Set a schedule wherein you check and reply emails, update social media accounts, and entertain mobile calls and messages. Let peers and clients know this schedule so they don’t bombard you with trivial yet distracting pokes. Again, urgent and important messages are an exception.

At home, schedule automatic off for all devices. You do need to recharge, right? That way, you create a habit of sleeping on time and having sufficient rest to prevent stress and other unhealthy consequences.