Smartphones make life in the 21st century so much simpler. There’s an app for practically anything you could think of, whether you want to manage your finances, study the constellations in the night sky, or gain access to a dating site. The fact phones are one of the main portals into our social media platforms means there can be a constant temptation to check out what’s happening on that tiny screen. Ironically, this easy access can lead to social isolation, with people becoming more interested in what’s happening in the virtual world. If this might have the potential to ruin your relationship, here are the top five tips gathered for you by dating experts from beyondthecharter to stop this happening.
Be selective with your phone’s sound effects
Nothing is going to draw you to your smartphone more than a constant enticement to check out the latest notification or ringtone. It doesn’t help that you can customize these sounds so that when friends get in touch, you hear an excerpt from your favorite band. If you’re not careful, this barrage of background noise can become intrusive, demanding your attention while you’re supposed to be engrossed in that film your partner recommended. The solution? Go into your settings and mute everything you don’t consider to be important enough to interrupt your daily routine. And stop downloading addictive ringtones.
Timetable offline activities
Think about your family and friends, not as an alphabetic list in your smartphone contacts, but as actual people. Now make arrangements to meet up with them socially. Why not pop into a coffee shop for a chat over your favorite delicious drink and refreshments, rather than simply picking up your phone to fire off an impersonal text message? If you do finally get round to connecting with someone you haven’t seen for a while, ensure you arrange a follow-up meeting, rather than seeing it as a one-off liaison with someone you’ll swiftly go back to texting.
Enforce cut-off rules
Agree about a time of day when you and your partner put your phones to one side. Unless you have specific reasons for being contactable 24/7, possibly through work or family commitments, don’t be tempted to take the phone with you to bed. If the argument is that you need an alarm call, buy a clock. You can’t set an alarm clock and then quickly flip it over to check how many likes your last Instagram post accumulated. When you go to the cinema, always switch off. There can be few things more irritating than watching a crucial part of a movie unfold, only for the moment to be ruined by someone’s smartphone beeping. Especially if it’s you or your partner’s.
Try to avoid joining groups
There are all sorts of communal activities to participate in once you’ve picked up your smartphone and start accessing Facebook. You need to ask yourself how crucial it is to find yourself surrounded by people you might not know that well, who end up exchanging views on your shared hobby, just as you’re trying to be romantic with your significant other.
Try rationing your social media access
Social media can be like a rabbit warren. You tap into your Facebook, read a post that links to a friend’s Twitter. Clicking here, you find yourself liking a photo someone has shared from their Instagram. Perhaps you use something much more real-time, such as Snapchat. All these platforms can prove to be a huge distraction. To maintain a healthy relationship, where the bulk of the communication is between you guys, try cutting down on social media.
