Do We Use Our Mobile Phones Too Much?

When we have meetings, it is only in exceptional cases that it is acceptable to look at the mobile phone. We also only use laptops for note-taking in rare cases. This is a conscious choice, and I believe it’s the right one.

With painful awareness of the ongoing discussion about mobile phones and tablets in schools, I would like to add a note about how we at Brath have chosen to handle mobiles and laptops. We use them only in exceptional cases during meetings, if something important comes up that simply must be addressed. There are two reasons for this.

Two reasons to put away the mobile phone

The first reason is health. Of course, there isn’t enough information yet about how we are affected by constantly being socially connected with the whole world, but there are those who claim it is dangerous. Some argue that the mobile phone is our era’s cigarette. I can’t vouch for any opinion here, but as a company, there may be reason to urge caution. I also know how poorly I personally handle my mobile phone and that it doesn’t feel right. At least during meetings, one can get a reprieve, a valid reason not to check Facebook.

The second reason, which is the more important one, is that it is not acceptable to have your attention elsewhere during a meeting. It’s not just wasting your colleagues’ time, it’s also abusing your employer’s trust. We are all expected to be present and aware at work, and while it’s fine to check if the kids got home safely from school, that doesn’t mean it’s okay to waste the entire meeting on Twitter. Of course, there will be those who claim it only takes thirty seconds to check, but systematically interrupting what you’re doing to read or write about something entirely different steals focus.

We are, of course, not negative toward a digital world

In conclusion, we are certainly positive about being as connected as we are. Just as we are happy to have food on the table. Both, however, are things that should be handled with moderation.