Mobile phone addiction (nomofobia)

Glanza · 24 Oct 2017 at 14:17

You need to learn to not use it, leave it in a coat pocket or a drawer in your desk till lunch on silent, Is losing your job really worth looking at notifications constantly? I can't imagine every single notification you get requires an immediate look.

bobbarley · 24 Oct 2017 at 14:22

Would you tell a smoker to just stop smoking? Or an alcoholic to just stop drinking alcohol?

Woden · 24 Oct 2017 at 14:26

bobbarley said:
Would you tell a smoker to just stop smoking? Or an alcoholic to just stop drinking alcohol?

In work? Probably!

Glanza · 24 Oct 2017 at 14:29

bobbarley said:
Would you tell a smoker to just stop smoking? Or an alcoholic to just stop drinking alcohol?

If they were doing either of those things in work they wouldn't be there very long, I'm sorry but you can't use blanket addiction like those to further your cause.

subbytna · 24 Oct 2017 at 14:49

bobbarley said:
I wondered what people's thoughts are on mobile phone addiction, and whether it's actually a real thing. The internet casually refers to it as nomophobia.

I had my 6 month probation review at work today, which I passed thankfully. However my manager (late 50's) pointed out that the only reason he didn't extend my probation was that the paperwork with HR was too much effort.

He went on to say that despite my work being excellent, he's never seen someone so addicted to a mobile phone. I effectively now have an ultimatum to shape up or else. My first reaction was anger, which went on to ruin what should have been an exciting day going permanent.

I've been thinking about it a lot since then, and think phone addition really is a thing. Personally if I get a message, WhatsApp etc, I can't not check it. The idea of not knowing what it says is practically painful. On a few occasions I've decided to just get over it, leave the phone alone. But within a couple of weeks I'm back to normal, or sometimes worse.

The first thing I do after waking up in the morning is check my phone, then I'll be on it for the next 20 minutes checkng this or that. It's the last thing I do before going to bed. I have to check when I get to the work carpark and whenever I have to pop away from my desk for whatever reason. There's even the necessity to check the phone when it's not even vibrated, in case I've accidentally missed a notification.

I spoke to my wife about it, her reaction was "If your work is excellent then what's the problem? You should be judged on what you produce, not how you get there". It's clearly not as simple as that though with more elderly old school bosses.

Is it really a thing?
If so how do you get over it when you can't stop doing it?
If not, then what is it?
Does anyone else have the problem?

/and breath!

Phone addiction IS a thing. Currently helping research on a paper on this very topic for a Masters dissertation, it's real and the younger generation are knee deep.

We did focus groups with various age groups and asked them to "describe what you think this person is"

Anxious when away from it
Distracted, unless they used it
Felt isolated from others when they couldn't get it
Used it first thing in the morning
Used it last thing at night
Used it to go out in the evenings

etc....

94% of them thought we were talking about a drug addict. Their faces when we said we were describing phone use in the 12-21 year old bracket!

Can I ask how old you are OP???

Younger generation think it's ok to be checking their phones all the time and....it really isn't. Not in the workplace anyway.

Diddums · 24 Oct 2017 at 14:51

Is it irritating anyone else that fobia is spelled with an F? Is this correct? Are we living in some kind of parallel universe where PH is replaced by F? What happens if you stick superglue in a non-stick pan?

inflames · 24 Oct 2017 at 15:02

subbytna said:
Phone addiction IS a thing. Currently helping research on a paper on this very topic for a Masters dissertation, it's real and the younger generation are knee deep.

94% of them thought we were talking about a drug addict. Their faces when we said we were describing phone use in the 12-21 year old bracket!

Can I ask how old you are OP???

Younger generation think it's ok to be checking their phones all the time and....it really isn't. Not in the workplace anyway.

My Niece's are like this one 17 and the other 14. They constantly glued to their phones 24/7 trying to talk to them is really odd as there is no eye contact, they also constantly looking at the phone whilst watching TV, someone will change the channel and they moan saying I was watching that. How can you watch two things at once? Me and my brother in law have been talking about taking them camping, hiking for a holiday next year and banning their phones from being used.

Beasty · 24 Oct 2017 at 15:08

I moved from a place where it was ok to lightly use your phone occasionally whilst waiting for something (ie a program to install) to somewhere that does not really tolerate it at all apart from work related stuff (taking photos of equipment or researching an issue when out and about). Boss did have to have a word with me when I first started but since then I've been fine, it just stays in my pocket 99% of the time and I prefer it tbh, I am a bit ashamed of how poor work ethic used to be at my old place.

It's fair request tbh but there are some double standards.

My fiance is constantly on hers at work as I will get a reply within minutes usually when I am on my lunch. She's always on it if we are out for meals with my family or even at a pub quiz (talking to her mum) which does cheese me off no end.

Dirk Diggler · 24 Oct 2017 at 15:15

bobbarley said:
Would you tell a smoker to just stop smoking? Or an alcoholic to just stop drinking alcohol?

That's a ridiculous argument. Smokers are expected to do so during their break which is in their own time, and alkis don't sit at their desk with a bottle of vodka.

bobbarley · 24 Oct 2017 at 15:31

Not really. Smokers pop out for breaks to have a cigarette etc, it's a fairly widely accepted thing, they're not doing any work when they're outside smoking. Friends I have that smoke are probably outside every hour for at least 5 minutes. But no one seems to mind because it's normal.

You show me someone who only smokes during their lunch break, and I'll show you a liar.

bobbarley · 24 Oct 2017 at 15:33

subbytna said:
Phone addiction IS a thing. Currently helping research on a paper on this very topic for a Masters dissertation, it's real and the younger generation are knee deep.

We did focus groups with various age groups and asked them to "describe what you think this person is"

Anxious when away from it
Distracted, unless they used it
Felt isolated from others when they couldn't get it
Used it first thing in the morning
Used it last thing at night
Used it to go out in the evenings

etc....

94% of them thought we were talking about a drug addict. Their faces when we said we were describing phone use in the 12-21 year old bracket!

Can I ask how old you are OP???

That's very interesting!

If it helps I'm 34 lol.

Rroff · 24 Oct 2017 at 15:41

bobbarley said:
Not really. Smokers pop out for breaks to have a cigarette etc, it's a fairly widely accepted thing, they're not doing any work when they're outside smoking. Friends I have that smoke are probably outside every hour for at least 5 minutes. But no one seems to mind because it's normal.

You show me someone who only smokes during their lunch break, and I'll show you a liar.

Yeah a few in the warehouse here who pop out for a smoke every 1-2 hours. Not aware of anyone currently who is taking the mick and spending like 10 minutes or so slacking off for a fag break though.

adolf hamster · 24 Oct 2017 at 15:48

Rroff said:
Yeah a few in the warehouse here who pop out for a smoke every 1-2 hours. Not aware of anyone currently who is taking the mick and spending like 10 minutes or so slacking off for a fag break though.

Plus taking a short resbite from work can be beneficial anyway, i'd wager a good number of non smokers will spend at least some time "slacking off" such as going to the loo when they dont need to go, getting a glass of water or the old "walk up and down the corridor with some paper trying to look busy".

It's not really a bad thing unless as you say folk are taking the mick. If anything letting folks take a break from a stressful portion of a given task only for them to come back mildly freshened is actually a benefit, some of my best work has been done when i've come back from a smoke break and suddenly had the eureka moment that solves the problem i'd spent half an hour before trying to figure out.

Dirk Diggler · 24 Oct 2017 at 15:57

bobbarley said:
Not really. Smokers pop out for breaks to have a cigarette etc, it's a fairly widely accepted thing, they're not doing any work when they're outside smoking. Friends I have that smoke are probably outside every hour for at least 5 minutes. But no one seems to mind because it's normal.

You show me someone who only smokes during their lunch break, and I'll show you a liar.

Yes, and non smokers go to the coffee machine for another cup to carry back to their desk or whatever. We aren't robots.

You need to ask yourself why you had to endure that awkward conversation, and you need to be honest with yourself in terms of how you can improve your behaviour so that there's not a repeat process.

If you want to carry the smoker analogy that little bit further, then how many people have you seen with a nicorette patch on? Why don't you pick a Monday and change your habits? Stick the phone in your drawer and forget about it.

Kreeeee · 24 Oct 2017 at 16:07

Diddums · 24 Oct 2017 at 16:30

Kreeeee said:
It sticks. Don't ask me how I know.

What happens in glue club stays in glue club?

bobbarley · 24 Oct 2017 at 16:46

Some interesting points chaps.

Zenduri · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:29

bobbarley said:
Not really. Smokers pop out for breaks to have a cigarette etc, it's a fairly widely accepted thing, they're not doing any work when they're outside smoking. Friends I have that smoke are probably outside every hour for at least 5 minutes. But no one seems to mind because it's normal.

You show me someone who only smokes during their lunch break, and I'll show you a liar.

Maybe 100 people in my office as smokers are only allowed to go for a cig during their morning and afternoon break (10 mins each) as well as lunch and they all adhere to it.

Bit of a silly statement to make on your behalf tbh

Boycey0211 · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:41

HybridX said:
Maybe 100 people in my office as smokers are only allowed to go for a cig during their morning and afternoon break (10 mins each) as well as lunch and they all adhere to it.

Bit of a silly statement to make on your behalf tbh

Aye, I've gone from working somewhere with flexible break times to one with set times, and as a smoker its taken me a week to get used to that.

But then again, apparently all smokers are liars. Coming from the person who cant leave their phone alone, gets angry when that is pointed out to them at work and has decided their 50 year old boss is 'elderly'. 34 going on 17 methinks.

Zenduri · 24 Oct 2017 at 18:45

Boycey0211 said:
Aye, I've gone from working somewhere with flexible break times to one with set times, and as a smoker its taken me a week to get used to that.

But then again, apparently all smokers are liars. Coming from the person who cant leave their phone alone, gets angry when that is pointed out to them at work and has decided their 50 year old boss is 'elderly'. 34 going on 17 methinks.

Im not a smoker but just commwnting on the ovservations at work. Going for a cheeky fag would create 100 times more hassle than its worth