Here are the top 7 times that you should *not* be on your phone and hitting that send button! Read through these life scenarios of when not to text and avoid common texting pitfalls that can trap even the savviest thumb-jockeys.
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Alright here we go... in no particular order of offense, below are the Top 7 times you should consider whether or not to be on your phone. Following these will help increase your personal safety, improve sleep, and increase connections both at work and at play.
Even if you disagree with some of these, think about the possible advantages to putting your phone down during the following scenarios and consider giving it a try. You might just be surprised at the positive effects and benefits.
Texting while driving Think about how impaired you are when you're drunk... would you drive and put yourself, your passengers, and everyone on the road in danger? Probably not. Studies show that texting while driving is actually 6x more likely to cause an accident than driving drunk! It's responsible for 1.6 million crashes per year, many of which have serious injuries including fatalities. For the safety of everyone around you, consider if reading or sending that text can wait.
Repeat text offenders If you've already sent a few texts to someone and haven't heard back, it might be better to wait 3 hours or so before sending another one.* Maybe the recipient is following #1 above. :) Either way, the person on the other end is preoccupied and will respond when they can or when you give them space. Read "What to do when there's NO reply to your texts?" and follow some of the tips in there to help!
Texting when angry We've all said things we've regretted while arguing or emotional... but then the words dissipate into the air and are gone. Texting angry or hurtful messages imprints it more so and provides a lasting record of your negative actions. Any conversation that is complicated and fueled by emotions should *NOT* be done via text. Texting during these times significantly increases the likelihood of texts being misinterpreted, leading to even more misunderstandings plus a host of pitfalls that are all explained in The Text Book. (If you happen to be in a pitfall now, the book also has ways to help get you out of it!)
30 minutes before bedtime The National Sleep Foundation recommends that you should stop using electronic devices, like your cellphone, at least 30 minutes before bedtime. (60 minutes is better) You'll be impressed with how much more quickly you fall asleep and how much better you feel the next day.
Having dinner with friends I have a rule that I put my phone away during dinner. Why? Because if you've carved time out of your busy schedule to spend with me, I want to be there... all there, engaged and present in the conversations and jokes. I want to be known as the fun friend, and is having dinner with someone who's continually on their phone and pre-occupied any fun? No. In my book that's kinda rude, and I've politely called people out who do it to me. That said - it's different if there's a potential emergency and you need to be alert if your phone dings, or the occasional check for phone notifications, but to sit there on your phone the entire time is a waste of our time together and tells people where they fall on your priority list.
Business meetings Similarly, do you want to be known as the ambitious employee that offers great ideas and suggestions because they've paid attention during meetings? Your company is literally paying you to pay attention, so that your experience and knowledge can help advance the project, company, and your own career. Put down the phone and listen to what's going on, instead of trolling social media or texting.
The booty text Unless if that's your intent... read through the text-iquette tips in The Text Book, and be respectful of a person's schedule. If you're afraid you'll forget to send the message the next day, learn how to schedule a text to send tomorrow, the day after, or next week even! (That's also super handy for birthdays and upcoming event reminders and confirmations.)
So there it is... the Top 7. Do you agree? Disagree? Maybe you can think of more reasons and scenarios when you should put your phone down. Comment below!
To learn more about avoiding texting pitfalls, good text-iquette (texting etiquette), and how to schedule text messages, use the code "PITFALLS" for 25% off of The Text Book instant download.
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Until next time my friends, stay safe and healthy!!