
Why People Check Their Phones at the Wrong Times and a Simple Trick to Stop It - nireyal
http://www.nirandfar.com/2016/03/why-people-check-their-phones-at-the-wrong-times.html
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gaur
> Posing a direct question does the person a favor by pulling him back while
> sending a clear message. The technique works like a charm. For one, the
> unexpected question elicits an entertaining reaction — sort of like what
> happens when you hold someone’s nose when he’s dozing off. He gasps and
> sputters, but in this case it’s not your fault, because you, as questioner,
> can play dumb. “Oh, sorry, were you on your phone? Is everything O.K.?”

Despite how it's characterized in the previous paragraph, nothing about this
technique is "subtle".

I really don't understand the impulse some people have to control the behavior
of other adults.

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saumil13
Social Antibodies regarding cell phone use is far more prevalent in Western
(US) than in (most of) Asia for example. It is perfectly normal at all levels
in business to take a phone call including movie theaters just to inform the
caller that the recipient is in a movie theatre.

Japan on the other end has a culture of absolute mobile silence in the subway
for example.

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purplelobster
About meetings. In two out of three companies I've worked for most of the
meetings were basically pointless. That's the type of meeting where people
would pull out their phone out of pure boredom. If you're having these kinds
of meetings, it's not the screen behavior that is bad. It's just a symptom.

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mystic001
During boring meetings, I try to be deeply in the moment. I meditate. I Count
my breaths.

This strategy has helped me leave boring meetings refreshed. Admittedly, there
have been times where I've slipped up and reached for the screen.

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woodandsteel
Maybe when a social gathering starts you could just ask everyone if they would
like to have a no-screens norm. People who want a screen ban would say why,
and so would the ones who are opposed. I am thinking that this might work
because someone who would want to take out their phone would be unhappy if
someone else did, but feels like he or she can't stop it because it is an
acceptable norm today. Maybe the person even realizes they have an addiction
and would appreciate help fighting it. Maybe you could set a norm of only two
minutes on the phone. Maybe people could think of other ideas. Maybe nothing
would be decided on, but it would be an interesting discussion.

We could even have a web site where people would describe what happened.
Speaking of which, are there any sites on overcoming web addiction?

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hellbanner
"This one weird trick to keep humans engaged".....

~~~
qbrass
"This one weird trick to let you know I wrote a book"

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anotheryou
If it bothers you and you are my friend, please just tell me, don't ask weird
questions.

I won't be offended enough to speak up against it, you will have a slight
benefit of doubt and I'll be in the defense, but I will recognize your
manipulative, slightly dishonest behavior. (manipulative, because you want to
trick me in to something and dishonest, because you cover your true intentions
instead of stating what you really want.)

~~~
flubert
Why would you ask a weird question, instead of a normal question that relates
to the current topic being discuss by the other member of the party?

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bradlenox
I think the point about "phone stacking" is interesting. There doesn't need to
be explicitly punitive measures to discourage people using their personal tech
since the social conventions are already there.

