To Connect or to Disconnect?

Is it only me or does anyone else feel like they are missing something if they don’t have their phone in either their hand or in their pocket? I personally don’t believe this means anything bad and that it just means that cellphones are just a daily part of many people’s lives in today’s society. We use them for so many things, to check our e-mails, texts, social media, google, pictures, videos, games, alarms, calendars, the list can go on and on. The only issue with this for me is that I almost feel as though I am lost if I don’t have my phone with me.

The acronym FOMO which stands for (Fear Of Missing Out), is a great explanation of what I feel happens to me when I am constantly checking my social media and looking at peoples Snapchat or Instagram posts. I look at it so much that I see everything that I think I might be missing. What ends up happening is that I am so busy looking at everything I could or wish I was doing instead of actually being in the moment and doing those things. Then I’ll look back with regret and feel like I ended up wasting my time by looking at people making memories instead of creating my own.

A great example of me being connected when I should have disconnected from my phone for a bit is when I have been at a concert and I am so busy trying to take videos and pictures of them performing that I end up basically missing half the concert. Instead of being in the moment creating memories of a fun time at a concert, I end up with some crummy quality videos and blurry pics of the artist. I have noticed that more and more as I have gotten older and I try to stop myself when I realize I should be enjoying the concert in person. I mean after all that is what I paid for, right? I could look up a video of them singing on YouTube anytime I want.

I am not saying taking any videos or pictures on your phone for a memory is bad at all but what I am saying is that there can be a happy medium for all of this. It is okay to be on your phone and check social media and take pictures and videos but just in moderation. When I go to a concert now I take a few pictures for memories and a video or two but then I set my phone down and enjoy the experience. I look back at so many times that I could have been enjoying an experience and creating memories when instead I was a little too busy with paying attention to things happening on my screen.

So next time you’re on your phone or whatever device it may be, scrolling through a feed, stop and think am I missing out on making my own memories in life?