Living In The Moment
Lifestyles

Why It Is Important to Live in the Moment

Have you ever noticed when you are in a restaurant that the people at the table next to you are all on their phones instead of talking to each other? It has become more difficult for people to engage in a conversation without becoming distracted by their phones. Our society has become inept of communicating with one another. It is important to not get into the habit of constantly being on your phone because you may begin to neglect what is occurring right in front of you.

There are preventative measures that will help you become present within your daily life rather than succumbing to the urge to check your phone. Mary Harris, specialist professor in communication, offers, “First, we need to be mindful and aware that the behavior of checking your phone can be a problem. Then, you need to commit to being together. Some fun things to do that allow you to all hang out without being on your phones are watching a movie, playing a board game, or just talking to one another. It all comes down to wanting to change and be in the moment rather than on your phones.”

Making it a rule when you are with your friends to put your phone away for a couple of hours combats the temptation of pulling it out of your pocket to see the latest posts on Instagram. Actual face-to-face communication helps to build relationships and make lifelong memories. However, in order to make these memories we must resist our desire to stare at our phone screen while we are with others.


It is also beneficial to remember that if you are surrounded by good company, there is no reason to go on your phone because you are with the people that matter to you. Victoria Nelli, a senior communication student, said, “My group of friends only use our phones to show each other things that we find interesting or funny. If I do go on my phone to look at Twitter they’ll tell me to stop and sometimes take my phone from me. However, normally when we all hang out, we don’t really look at our phones because we are all with each other. You should enjoy the friends or family that you’re with and not worry about other things that are going on.” Once you put your phones down, you begin to bond with the people that are around you.

Another way to ensure that you do not spend too much time on your phone is by deleting some of your social media apps. Erin Shevlin, a senior communication student, said, “Over winter break I deleted all of my social media, because I felt like everyone just constantly looks at it and relies on it. Especially during awkward situations, we always turn to our phones. I found that by deleting everything it allowed me to step back and be more in the moment.” This is an excellent way to help you live in the moment because most people are checking social media when they are on their phones. If you remove these apps, you will no longer have a need to check your phone constantly. 

It is important to live in the moment and not behind a cellphone screen. Limiting your cellphone activity allows you to become closer with those around you and fully immerse yourself in the moment. You will be able to experience new things and learn about the people you spend time with.

If you begin to think about what you are missing in the few minutes that you are staring at the screen of your phone, then maybe you will not check it as often. After all, life is too short to be living behind a screen.

IMAGE TAKEN from smh.com.au