It’s very easy to give loads of your attention to your phone and not enough to the people around you these days. It happens a lot and sometimes everyone around us is doing it. The term for this is ‘phubbing’ – which mean you’re snubbing people with your phone – and research has found it’s not good for relationships. A recent survey in Turkey found couples who reported phubbing in their marriage had less satisfaction in their relatioship overall.
It’s even rude to phub your pet. As Diane says: “If the pet needs a walk and you’re on TikTok, the pet takes priority.”
But there are other times when it’s OK to scroll on your phone. For example, when you’re cuddling your cat, that’s OK, because your pet is also getting some attention.
Waking up and turning to your phone before your partner
This is a common complaint from many people and so it’s probably a good idea to not have your phone in the bedroom. You can always get an alarm clock or at least put your phone on the other side of the room. You need to pay attention to your partner before you pay attention to your phone.
Talking on your phone when on public transport
Taking a call when you’re on public transport is not a great idea. This is because, when you’re on a bus or train, it’s a confined public space so everyone else will hear your conversation. It’s fine to check your texts though as you can do this privately.
Pamela Connellan is a journalist specialising in writing about the tech industry and how we can work towards changing the gender bias in this industry. She has a keen love of everything tech - especially how to keep it sustainable. She also covers what's streaming, why it's interesting and where to watch it.
