On Life with a Smart Phone

Source: Pinterest

Before getting a smart phone, I had several perceptions of it. I thought I would be on my email or facebook all the time. I thought it would suck my soul out constantly dinging that I had a new text. I thought reading anything on it would be excruciating.

Here's the reality. I don't like computers in general and tend to dislike having one open in front of me all day. Before my phone, I would save all my emails until one part of the day and do it all at once. However, one thing would lead to another and very rarely did I get it all done within an hour. Facebook, blogs, and the news would take their toll. Since having a smart phone, I check my email less. I spend less time on the computer itself. I check facebook maybe once every two days from my smartphone and my gmail once or twice. I take care of things I want and don't get overwhelmed by feeling to have to do it "all at once". I'm less reliant on a computer itself, and less likely to spend hours surfing the internet. It doesn't notify me every time I have a text, email, or fb message. It only does that if I ask it to. That way I feel less demanded of me through my phone.

On reading books, especially the Bible. The printed word on ink and paper will always hold priority on how I prefer to read books. It seems more real, more tangible, like the things I'm reading about aren't imaginary. Reading things from a screen makes things less real for me, a third barrier between me and the printed word. That said, I'm a pretty poor time manager and sometimes I have to get started on my day without reading my Bible. I've found the 'ESV' app to be wonderfully helpful. Twice since I've been home, I've been able to read it in the car while others are driving. I also like that it scrolls and I can't see how much I have left to read. When I read, I'm incredibly goal orientated, almost to the extent, I don't absorb the words in front of me. By having a small screen and being forced to scroll, I pay more attention to the words immediately present.

Finally, it helps me de-stress. I'm one of those people who feel guilty about not always doing something productive. I have a hard time intentionally relaxing. As I'm not a good time manager, I feel like I ought to be working because I didn't work when I was supposed to.. and it just snowballs. However, the games on my phone have helped me relax, to take my mind off things weighing down on me at present, re-energize me and help me to focus more.