Do You Feel the Phantom Vibrations?

"Moodoff Day is designed to stimulate the much-needed awareness about the potential dangers of excessive smartphone use, including addiction,"  chron.com.

What will you be doing Sunday, February 26, from 5am to 10am? A non-profit organization out of Sydney, Australia, is asking that you spend those morning hours without using your smartphone.

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This unique campaign is already receiving support world wide. This event is to be called "Moodoff Day." Why a goofy name such as Moodoff? Well, it was named after the effect it will likely have on the participants. When people are asked to stop browsing or checking their spartphone, it usually turns their mood off.

Smart phones have turned into an essential part of modern day society. Right away it was nice to just be able to check your email on the go and respond to co-workers and clients. Now in a phone world flooded with compulsive internet browsing, social network updates and unlimited apps, these devices are making our lives more stressful.

In a recent article from Vancouver's Globe and Mail, they discuss that smartphone stress arises mainly from the urgency that the users feel to keep tabs on their virtual social lives. After performing a study on 100 smartphone users the study reported that some users were so hooked that they felt "phantom vibrations" from non-existent text messages. I have to sadly add that I too, have been guilty of these phantom episodes.

Not only have smartphones been linked to stress but now have worked their way in between families, friends, and even marriages. I was walking through the North Dakota State University's Memorial Union dining area recently observing lunch time activities, and it was no big surprise to see the amount of tables that were full of students, yet no conversation. This has been a trend on the rise with family settings as well. Children do not want to spare time away from their phones to have any sort of discussion with their parents.

Yvonne Lim, of the Star Online, explains that being preoccupied with your smartphone when you are with other people can send the message that they are not important. It also stops you from responding to non-verbal signals and this could potentially lead to a communication breakdown.

"Moodoff Day is designed to stimulate the much-needed awareness about the potential dangers of excessive smartphone use, including addiction," as explained at chron.com. So what do you think? Can you wake up, go to the bathroom, brush your teeth AND eat breakfast before checking your phone? I have faith in you!

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