Please put down that black rectangle
WARNING: This post is going to be more of rant than anything else. But don't let that deter you. It could still be useful to you.
What rectangle am I talking about?
The one you always have within arms reach. At all times. No matter what.
Also known as your iPhone. Or Android for you rebellious types.
Not to discriminate against other colors. Put down your white, red, green, yellow, purple, blue rectangles too. Unless of course you are reading this on your rectangle. Then I give you permission to use it until you finish reading this. But not a second longer!
Now I know I sound like the grandpa yelling "get off my lawn!" to anyone within shouting distance. But I have always considered myself an old soul. And according to my fiancé, I already drive like one. So maybe I am already allowed to go on my old man rants.
Ok now that we got that out of the way - why should you put down your rectangle?
I am thrilled you asked!
Think about the last event you attended. It could be a concert, play, opera, festival, etc. Were you experiencing the event itself or were you documenting yourself experiencing the event?
Those are two completely different things.
And I catch myself doing this too. So don't think I consider myself to be some rectangle-less saint.
I was at a symphony recently and it was lovely. But I looked around and saw a majority of the people around me recording the symphony on their rectangles and watching it through them too.
Why do we do this?
How often do you go back and watch those video recordings or look at those photos?
If you are anything like me, very, very rarely.
So instead of watching the event you are attending through your device why not just watch the event?
I am willing to bet it will be a much more enjoyable time for you.
You can actually be in the moment. And pay attention to your senses. The smells, the sounds, the sights, the feelings, and you will be able to appreciate them more. I promise.
I don't deny that my red rectangle enables me to do some miraculous feats every single day. It allows me to connect with anyone in the world for free. And for that I am forever grateful. But at what cost?
If I am more concerned about capturing the event instead of experiencing it then that feels like a problem to me.
I have noticed this multiple times when I have travelled. My decision to do something or not is influenced by whether there will be a worthy moment to capture. If there doesn't seem to be a good opportunity to do so then I may not do it! How insane is this? Am I crazy? Or is everyone else?
News flash - we can thoroughly enjoy an experience without needing a selfie to prove we did it.
I would rather share my travel experience with a captivating story instead of telling someone to just scroll through 100 photos I took.
Ok thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I already feel a little better.
So what can we do?
Throw our rectangles in a river and only be reachable by a landline? Tempting, but no.
Downgrade to a flip phone and remember how to t9 text? Again tempting, but no.
Quick story time - Back in 2015 I arrived at my entry level job in a high rise office building in downtown Atlanta.
I got settled into my cubicle and suddenly felt a wave a panic come over me.
My black rectangle was not in my pocket. I looked all over my desk. It was nowhere to be found.
I felt naked and afraid.
Did I lose it?
Was it still in my car?
Was a co-worker playing a sick joke on me?
No, no, and no.
I left it at home. Gasp!
What could I do? I lived one hour away. I couldn't drive back to get it.
How would I survive? I didn't think I could.
So I did all I could do. Sit down and begin to work. And then work some more.
I suddenly felt free.
I was not distracted by the constant buzzing, whistling, flashing notifications that seem so urgent.
And I had one of the most productive days of work I have ever had.
Who would have guessed?!
The funny bit of this story was when my co-workers noticed my panic and realized what I was missing. They each decided to call and leave voicemails disguising themselves as interested prospects looking to buy. We worked in sales. It was a certain kind of evil reserved for those we care most about.
When I got home that night I got to listen to dozens of voicemails with fake accents from Russia, Spain, and France to name a few.
That ended up being one of the most memorable days of my life. And what made it so?
A simple mishap - leaving my phone at home.
So what do I hope you take away from my rant?
First off, I want to give you another challenge - purposely leave your phone at home for a day. Can't do a whole day? Yes you can. But fine, leave it for one hour. And embrace the discomfort of not having that crutch.
Whenever you feel bored and reach for your phone - enjoy the boredom. Remember being bored as a kid? You had to be creative. You were forced to use your imagination to get unbored. Boredom essentially died with the invention of the iPhone.
And when you are having a conversation with someone there will be moments when neither of you is talking. So what? Just reach for your...ah ha - you can't. Don't worry. It won't last long. You will think of something to say eventually. Savor the delicious quietness. There is nothing better than a nice awkward silence. It bonds you with the other.
There is nothing I hate more than seeing a group of friends sitting in complete silence. And I love silence. But they are silent because each of them is scrolling on their damn black rectangle!
And lastly, I hope you become aware. Aware of all that time you spend staring at your black rectangle. Aware of always feeling like you have to capture what you are doing. Aware of using it as a crutch to avoid any awkwardness or boredom. Aware of the things in your life. Are you using them effectively? Or are they controlling you?
No book recommendation today. Thought I would try this format instead. What did you think? Subscribe below and let me know!