Put down that phone and connect again
Shreya Upadhyaya might work for Spark but she has noticed life has improved in lots of ways since she started using her cellphone a bit less.
Yesterday she observed Moodoff Day, an international event designed to raise awareness of smartphone addiction by challenging users to go without their devices for five hours.
In its fifth year, Moodoff Day is being held on February 26, offering smartphone users the challenge to do without their phones for five hours.
Founder Tapas Senapati said smartphones had lots of benefits but could also affect relationships and general social interaction.
‘‘Smartphone users that partake in Moodoff Day tend to realise the benefits of not always checking their phone every few minutes, and enjoy more personal interaction on the day,’’ he said.
‘‘Really, we should balance this every other day too, but starting with one day, may just be the catalyst to use our smartphones with more awareness, not just habitually.’’
Moodoff Day’s motto ‘‘Breakfast Before Browsing’’, aims to encourage being present with family and friends over virtual connectivity through their phones.
Senapati pointed to research that shows most users check their phones anywhere from every three seconds to every 10 minutes even when talking to other people, in the bathroom and during meals.
Upadhyaya, a bid manager at Spark Digital, said she had become worried that excessive use of her phone was giving her watery eyes and wrist pain from messaging a lot and playing games.
She leaves it at home when she goes out so she is not tempted to check it.
And not using her phone so much had made her more sensitive to others who did, she said.
‘‘I have a friend who is so hooked up in his phone, he’s always looking at his phone and it’s sometimes annoying for us.
‘‘If I’ve left my phone at home and gone for a good get-together and he’s constantly peering at his phone, it’s a bit rude. Why call us over if you’re looking at the phone all the time and not making eye contact?’’