Lessons
Lesson Info
Smartphone Use
Let's talk about smartphones. Smartphones are critically, critically, critically important. My first tip for smartphone use is control it. Don't be controlled by it. What's the most famous example of programmed behavior? What's the scientific experiment? Who's the scientist, who looked at programmed behaviors? Pavlov. Pavlov, absolutely. Pavlov's dogs. Ring a bell, feed a dog, measure salivation response. Ring a bell, feed a dog, measure salivation response. Guess what? Ring, ring, ring, interact, endorphin rush. Ring, ring, ring, get information I want, endorphin rush. Ring, ring, ring, talk to someone I know and love, endorphin rush. Ever feel a ghost ring in your pocket? Most people have. That's your brain anticipating that endorphin rush. It doesn't take long before you don't need to feed a dog. You just ring a bell and you measure salivation response. We are all little Pavlov's dogs. Take control of your device. Try to rest some control from your habitual use of that device. G...
ive up that cell phone security blanket. If you're not gonna use it, if it could really bother others, turn it off or leave it behind. It's not easy to do. Give yourself a fighting chance to experience the company of the people that you're with. There are apps that'll you deprogram yourself, I don't recommend them. Just try turning it off, leaving it behind. If you do need it and its use could bother others, silence your ring tone, step away from other people to talk, try to minimize the degree to which your conversation impacts the people around you. There's new evidence, there's new research that shows that people are more offended if you take your phone out and initiate a communication than if you receive a call and respond to it when you're in the middle of conversation with other people. Be extra careful about initiating communication or calls when you're in the company of others. Beware the substitution mentality. If you wouldn't take a call but you think, oh I'll just fire off this email or I'll fire off this text, that's great when you're on public transit and the only you bother someone is by talking in their ear, it doesn't work if you're in the company of others. And it's really about taking your attention elsewhere or not giving your attention to the person you're with that's perceived as the rudeness or the lack of courtesy. So what are some places where that lack of courtesy is particularly bothersome to people? Well, when they can't ignore half of your conversation. They're in immediate proximity to you. Be extra careful when you're at a meal with other people, when you're sitting at table with others or if you're in a meeting. If you're using your device in service of the conversation or experience you're sharing, you're probably gonna be okay. If it's taking your attention elsewhere, let it wait. My final tip is be really careful with the confidential information that we keep on these increasingly powerful devices. Those lock screens are a pain. If your phone fell out of your pocket in a taxi cab could the next person who sits down, pick it up and read your work email. We've all heard about the laptops that have been compromised, that have given away millions of credit card numbers. Be careful with access to your email and the information that's on your mobile device as well.