Whether you know it or not, you’ve been phubbed. “Phubbing” is snubbing someone to whom you are talking by instead looking at your cell phone. I’m guilty of phubbing, especially during production week for EIL. And the fact that there’s a word for this makes me think that maybe our digital habits have gotten a little out of hand.
Georgia recently passed a new law that makes it illegal to text on a cell phone while driving. That is the general description of the law. Actually, it is not a “new” law, but the expansion of an already existing law that makes it illegal to engage in any action that distracts the driver from the safe operation of a motor vehicle. The July 1 law now reads that one can be convicted under this statute “based upon the use of a mobile telephone for writing, sending, or reading a text-based message or other purpose unrelated to engaging in spoken communication.” So, basically, it is now illegal in Georgia to use a cell phone while driving for any purpose other than making or receiving phone calls, and even that must be done in hands-free manner because the law also prohibits “holding or supporting with any part of the body” your wireless phone or other electronic devices. If texting and driving wasn’t a bad enough idea before, it is now.
Maybe what we all need is a digital detox. And July on St. Simons Island is the perfect time and place! A real digital detox means turning off your phones, tablets, and computers for at least 24 hours. If that seems totally overwhelming, it’s okay to take baby steps. Start by turning your phone off during lunch. Smartphone withdrawal is real, and it has actual physiological effects. Think how anxious you get when you are driving and realize you left your phone at home by accident. Do you shrug it off or turn back and drive home because you are afraid you’ll miss something on your Facebook feed?
Here are a handful of great reasons to go on a digital detox. 1) It will cure your insomnia. The blue light emitted by all those screens can mess up your sleep cycle. 2) You’ll be less stressed. Social media can stress you out. The stress is more than just unpleasant. It’s bad for your health. 3) You’ll kick your addiction. For some people, dependence on their smartphone isn’t just a bad habit; it’s an addiction. People can get so hooked on their smartphone that just the idea of not having it can cause anxiety. 4) You’ll get more exercise. Use that free time you have during a digital detox taking a walk, jog or bike around the island. 5) You’ll increase your attention span. A study conducted by Microsoft found that goldfish now have an attention span longer than humans do. The cause? Too much media too often and too quickly. In fact, research suggests that some digital-free downtime may increase span as much as 50 percent.
When you combine the improved mood, better sleep, additional time, sharper focus, and physical well-being that come with undertaking a digital detox, maybe you’ll find that in July you’ll become the “BEST OF” YOU!
