Smartphones have made life more stressful, not easier. amirite?

Every human invention that has increased productivity has been introduced as something to give us more free time and freedom, but has just ended up making increased productivity and availability the norm.

by LiteratureCrazy4470 2 days ago

expected to be avaible 24/7: wrong. you allow yourself to be avaible for that long. checking work emails at night: wrong. you chose to do that. notifications: wrong. you chose to enable them. in short. user error.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

This is industry/situation dependent tho. If you are say a freelancer you basically have to do this otherwise you will lose opportunities to people that do do this. Obviously you can choose to get out of that kind of work, however that's not just as cut and dry as choosing not to do these things.

by Adavonrueden 2 days ago

Well yeah but then there is the counter argument that such industry wouldn't have existed had it not been for smartphones

by Anonymous 2 days ago

freelancing existed before smartphones...

by Anonymous 2 days ago

There's certainly the issue of app devs/publishers/etc trying to actively incentivise unhealthy usage, and I think we as a society do kind of need to get better at teaching people how to healthily engage with tech, But you can absolutely control how you engage with your phone. If you respond to every text immediately no matter what you're doing, you're telling everyone that you will drop everything to respond to them asap. If you respond in a timely manner but dont prioritise doing so above what you need/want to do, then you tell everyone that you will respond when you get to it. Disconnect from your phone and it probably won't stress you out as much.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

then its the humans responsibility to make sure those defaults are set up correctly the first time around.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

its an individual thing, because you still have to allow yourself to do any of those things. its not hard to fight the collective issue when resolving the issue involves being lazy when out of work hours. its such a nonissue, you cant make a big deal out of it. just....dont engage.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

It's about how you use it. On my last 8 day hike it was just a GPS unit with a larger screen. Haven't answered or wrote to anyone.

by Consistent_Skill 2 days ago

Haha

by Glittering_Jump 2 days ago

My life is so much better and easier with a smart phone that I question your fundamental ability to even register how often your phone helps you. If it's cussing you stress, that up to you to control. My life would be objectively worse without a smart phone. Like a million times more than it would be improved.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

It's a tool, how people use it is their choice. Most people, in this case, allow the tool to use them

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Well like they say everything that have advantages, also have disadvantages

by Anonymous 2 days ago

No one's forcing you to have a smartphone. Get an old-person dumb phone.

by Dazzling-Champion-86 2 days ago

I'd argue this is actually a pretty popular opinion

by Bitter_Recipe_4392 2 days ago

Yes, its been said many times

by lydaweissnat 2 days ago

You aren't expected to reply 24/7 if you don't give them that expectation. You need to set your boundaries

by Lennatorp 2 days ago

I understand ,,but you will never know what they are calling for

by Glittering_Jump 2 days ago

If its urgent, they can leave a message

by Lennatorp 2 days ago

How is this controversial?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

we used paper maps. and recognizing important landmarks along the way.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

It depends on the limits you set for yourself around your smartphone.

by Vivid_Tension 2 days ago

Your phone is just a tool. It's up to you at to when or if you want to use it.

by wuckertsedrick 2 days ago

You being available for work at midnight when you aren't working is your own fault, not the smartphones fault. Same for checking your emails when you aren't working. Take some responsibility.

by Helena87 2 days ago

In a lot of ways; yes. In other ways; no. I'm still grateful I got to grow up WITHOUT it (and the internet).

by abbottdave 2 days ago

That's your choice to live as a door mat that must be available to everyone 24/7. Learn how to create boundaries and use basic notification settings on the phone.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

If you check work emails after your shift, that's a you problem and not your phone. At my job, no one sends emails after work unless it's super important like switching shifts with someone, or sending information that needs to be read whenever that person/ group of people gets into work. Everything you mentioned is on the user, not the phone. You are in control of your phone, not the other way around. you don't like social media? Delete the app. You don't like all these notifications? Change the settings. You don't want to respond to work emails outside office ours? Don't. If it's required, then talk to your boss saying that you don't want to work without being paid.

by Ramonschaefer 2 days ago

People have no patience.. everything they want in now ..instant gratification.. Especially work have turn into a circus, haste makes nothing but waste ..

by Mcclureabraham 2 days ago

Exactly right, that's exactly what I was trying to say.

by Glittering_Jump 2 days ago

I get public transport to work, my emails get read half an hour before my work day begins. I'd never dream of checking them on a day off. As I tell all my friends that try to apologise for not responding quickly. They're Direct Messages (DMs) NOT Instant Messages (IMs). The message might be directed at them, but I'd never expect an instant reply if they're busy. My close mates they know to call me if its urgent/ time sensitive. If its important but not urgent they know to text/iMessage or whatsapp me. If its not important they'll just message me on facebook or instagram. All apps have notifications turned off unless its one of the messaging services listed above. Only exception is emails, uber, takeaway apps and Amazon so I can track cabs and delivery times. And I have routines set up so my phone dnd on my days off or after 8pm.

by shania10 2 days ago

Some people have time management skills and self discipline and do not feel tethered to their phones.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Convenient when you use it right. Just because a feature or an app is there, doesn't mean you have to use them.

by Fantastic-Back 2 days ago

I use my phone way too much but my phone has made my life so much easier. Heck if I want to know something I can easily look it up. If I want directions it will get them for me and direct me while I'm driving. If I want to transfer money with the bank I can in 15 sec

by Anonymous 1 day ago

And then there's me, who has chronic illness, and it made my life well easier. Just a device, has not to be a smartphone though.

by Soft-Scar-169 1 day ago

Somebody got email and Slack notifications on Canada Day, it seems. Probably interrupted their chill time. Reasonable crash out.

by darion77 1 day ago

They keep calling back despite DND being active, as many people don't understand what qualifies as an emergency or when it's appropriate to call, and this issue is becoming increasingly frustrating nowadays.

by Glittering_Jump 1 day ago

No, people don't have that expectation. You control your phone instead of letting it control you.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

No more anonymity anymore either

by Horacio82 1 day ago

it's a phone, you pick and choose who you talk too?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

This compares to our brains in that it is a valuable instrument; its effectiveness depends entirely on how we choose to utilize it.

by Glittering_Jump 1 day ago

No y

by Glittering_Jump 1 day ago

That's your life. My life has been made easier and more efficient

by QueasyAssociate6655 1 day ago