I watched this video and it really struck me – have we lost our people skills? We spend so much time with our face focused on a phone or tablet or computer that we are losing something that is critical to our personal and business lives – face to face interaction!
I am not someone who spends tons of time on my phone. Sure I text and respond to emails, but I don’t use data or Wifi and I rarely take pictures or videos.
This video made me think of the other night with a group of friends in our TV room… The adults were chatting and we had the hockey game on the TV. The young adults were talking also and often checking their phones. As the night wore on, the young adults all ended up playing games on their phones (I guess we bored them lol). They seemed quite content to be near each other and not have to talk – which really isn’t a bad thing. It is nice sometimes to know you can sit near a friend or loved one and not have to communicate, just be close!
Technology has allowed us the opportunity to communicate around the world in seconds (I can BBM my brother in Ireland and we connect as if he is next door!), we can capture moments that might have been lost while we got our camera ready, it does keep us connected – I’m just thinking we can connect in person more often!
All of this takes me back to a few years ago, I was working away and my son came over to talk to me, I kept typing and answered him with a generic response that was sooo obvious I had not truly been listening and he knew it – from that strong lesson, I do my utmost to be in the moment, listening, and making eye contact.
My family knows also that if I am typing away, to let me finish so I can give them my full attention. How many times have you tried to multi-task with your phone while in the company of friends, family, co-workers? I would ask that you consider putting away the technology and talking, laughing, sharing, taking in information – truly be engaged with the people around you… Those moments can be gone so quickly, embrace them and get back to your phone AFTER you have connected! I know I can always improve and my goal is to check my phone less and give genuine attention more.
© Pamela Christie, DemGen Inc. 2013
