How much time do you spend on email, texting and social media per day? I know some of you get over 150 emails a day, have multiple calls and conference calls every day, manage social media sites and are constantly multitasking with different technological devices.

The average person who uses a computer for work checks email 37 times per day. Every time you check email you have to reengage with what you were focused on prior to answering the sound or pop up.

Have you ever been out to a restaurant and noticed how many people are talking on their phones, texting or surfing the web? I was recently at a business lunch with 12 people, 10 of the 12 were on their cell phones checking email at the same time during the meal. Do you think they were engaged in the conversation?

Signs that You Spend Too Much Time on Your Smart Phone

1. You spend hours a day on your phone texting, on calls and checking social media.
2. You check your cell phone more than 5 times per hour
3. Your spouse or kids are texting you when you are in the same room.
4. You are out to lunch or dinner with your spouse or friends and you spend more time on the phone than talking with your spouse or friends.
5. You have to take your phone to bed with you to make sure you don’t miss a text or email during the night.

How to Reduce the Time You Spend on Your Smart Phone

1. Shut off notifications for Email, Texts. You can put your phone on do not disturb or night mode.
2. Don’t check work email after you get home or set a time if you work from home. Check your email before you get home.
3. Block out time in your calendar for times of the day you check email and social media sites. Take 15 minute increments during the day to return emails and check social media.
4. Leave cell phones, tablets and computers out of the bedroom. One exception would be using a tablet or Kindle if you read before bed. The other situation is some of you have kids that are out with friends and you want to be accessible. Once they get home turn the phone off.
5. Limit time on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Block times to do social media during the day. You want to avoid letting these sites consume you. Set a time limit.
6. Shut your phone off at night. Again you might have exceptions to this if you are on call or have kids out with friends.
7. Don’t text and drive. This is extremely dangerous. Look around you as you are driving down the interstate. How many people do you see on their phones texting? What is really scary is when they have a cup of coffee one hand, their phone in the other and they are the driver.

At dinner tonight turn off all the cell phones and put them on the counter before you go to the table. If you are out to dinner with business associates, friends or family turn the phone off or put it on do not disturb. Be present with the person or people you are with.

Please share this with someone you feel might benefit.

Be Great!