I absolutely detested pagers when they came out and the fact that people thought I would drop everything to call them back.
Cell phones are even worse than pagers.
It’s not that I don’t embrace technology. I just don’t want to be totally accessible to you whenever you feel like it. And I don’t need to, or want to, be on my phone all of the time.
I have a life. I have more important things to do than see what you made for dinner, count how many people liked one of my posts or look at who won the latest football game (unless it’s Alabama of course).
And I think it’s rude the way people have their phones out all the time and are constantly on them, calling, texting and scrolling when they are visiting with people and out at restaurants.
RUDE.
Yes, I’m talking about you.
When I’m dining with friends, my phone is in my purse, not on the table.
When I’m visiting friends and family, my phone is in my purse, not in my pocket, not on the table, not next to me on the couch.
I am not saying that it wouldn’t be convenient to have a smart phone – I could text people a heck of a lot easier, get directions, find the closest Boston Market or check on the weather when I”m away from home.
But I’m also able to print out a map before I go somewhere, Google the hours of a restaurant and go on a weather website before I jump into my car.
Then we have the issue of cell phones at work. Younger people especially think they are allowed to be on their phones all day at the owner’s expense. I don’t have the time for that. I have to work.
And no, I’m never going to TEXT you about your job being done because I will never accept a company phone. Many of you probably think you have a good thing going with a “free” phone from your boss.
But it’s not a free phone. It’s a leash.
No thanks.
I definitely think more limitations should be put on cell phone usage at work – or at least for those who are abusive with them.
But I can see where access to them altogether can be a problem as well such as during the recent tornado outbreaks.
During an emergency, cell phones can provide notifications about impending severe weather and families can get in immediate touch with each other about their plans.
So there are exceptions to my idea of limiting cell phone usage at work.
I just think there needs to be a common sense approach to the cell phones where they are an accessory, not a necessity, during everyone’s workday.