When did a phone become so important in my life?  IT’S A PHONE – YOU TALK ON IT.  Well I do talk on it, but it’s become like a ball-and-chain in so many ways. I check it first thing in the morning; heck, if I wake up in the middle of the night I check it and end up really waking up because I’m playing a game or checking Facebook at 4:00 a.m.  Who is up at 4:00 a.m. on Facebook or Twitter – NO ONE!  I check “stuff” all day long – why?  Well because something might happen and I NEED to know!  Yes, it’s the last thing I do before I go to bed at night.  It’s clear – I’m addicted to my iPhone.

Yesterday I realized that I can’t find the time to do the things that I REALLY love to do because I’m playing on my iPhone.  Granted it has made my professional life so much better – I have immediate access to my work email accounts, I have my calendar with me all the time and it’s updated, and I have all my contacts handy in one place.  Don’t get me wrong – I don’t miss lugging around a Daytimer with all of my”things” in it; most of the time it was stuffed full of papers and appointments that needed to be written in the stupid thing but I hadn’t found time to get it done.  The problem is that I’m addicted to the “stuff” that’s on my iPhone – things like that stupid, addicting “Angry Birds” game that frustrates me to no end, Facebook, Twitter, as well as other news media outlets, games, etc.

My first major change for 2011?  Using my iPhone as a PHONE!  Novel idea, huh?  I miss reading my magazines and I miss reading books – I have played with my phone rather than doing the things I have always loved to do like reading, knitting, etc.  I will check Facebook once or twice a day – nothing is so important that I need to check it on and off all day – and I will check Twitter once or twice a day as well.

I’m a social person – I love people and I love keeping up with everyone’s lives.  I have reconnected with people who I haven’t thought of or heard from since 4th grade… how cool is that?!  But in reality, I can’t say that being addicted to my iPhone with all of its toys and applications has improved the quality of my life.  If anything, it has taken time away from what I REALLY enjoy doing and has taken time away from my time with Lance at home.  We used to chat all evening about one thing or another – now I look up and we’re both on our phones playing games, checking statuses, etc.  Even funnier – we’re playing games against each other and not saying a word.  Insane?  It is for me.

So the phone is siting here next to me – if it rings, I’ll answer it.  If not, it will be fine sitting there all alone as I pick up a magazine and read.  Yes, I may be stressed out about it – but I’m a big girl and I need to make better choices with how I spend my free time.  Love you iPhone – we’ve had a great time together the last couple of years but I need to break up with you for a while…..

Are you addicted to your phone?  To social media in general?  To the internet?  What would your life be like if you put down the phone, stop checking your social media sites, and quit spending hours just surfing around the web?

I’ll check back in later – not today, maybe tomorrow!  I’ve got a book I’m dying to read!

Happy New Year!!!

Kim