Digital distractions: A decent reason for slacking off at work

The first time I laid eyes on an Apple iPhone I wasn’t impressed, but more shocked and a little afraid. Like when a secret tribe that has lived deep in the jungle in complete isolation from the world is confronted by outsiders for the first time. There’s a little fear, some disbelief and a whole lot of questions to be answered. 

It was 2009, or sometime there about, and a then-coworker of mine came into the little office where we worked, eager to show off what I believe was an iPhone 3GS. By today’s standards that device is ancient technology. Just stash it away with your typewriters, Betamax tapes and fax machines. Back then though, it was something else. Integrating the 3G technology, it was really the first powerful pocket computer. 

As he showed off all the device could do, I became more appalled. I had long been a fan of this company’s products, but why would I want a telephone that could check email or play games? I had a perfectly good computer on my desk where I could check email at my convenience and video game systems dating back to the ’80s I could play from the comfort of my own living room sofa. I vowed to never purchase such a machine, calling it a waste of time and money. 

Time makes fools of us all, and I’ve now gone through several of the phones and exclusively buy them when it’s time for a new one. (Apple have your people contact my people regarding sponsorship opportunities. Honda you’ve missed your chance.) 

I said all that to say that I still hate smartphones. We’ve never been more connected as humans, yet it has never been seemingly harder to reach someone via telephone. Calls go ignored, sent to spam and everybody’s voicemail is always full. The phone not only rings, but it also bombards us with emails and social media notifications – though I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy conducting business with my thumbs. 

Turning it off is easier said than done. Everyone uses some sort of app for communication these days. For work, school and even church in some cases, you need access to a digital platform. 

And now my children are armed with smartphones. The era that I dreaded has come. Like most parents, I’m concerned with screen addiction, the flow of inappropriate content on the internet and the phone becoming a distraction from real life. 

I try to lead by example, but there is one distraction I welcome. It’s taken me longer than normal to write this, because, well, my phone has kept going off. The kids are on spring break, living the good life on a much-deserved educational break. They’ve been texting me nonstop. I’ve stopped, read and responded to every single one of them.

Some people are worth being distracted for.