Do You Have a Phone Addiction?

WHO DOESN’T? –

Feb. 12, 2034 – During a recent executive program, we conducted a micro-experiment. Participants opted to surrender their mobile phones for one evening and get them back the next morning. During the experiment, they reflected on their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The next morning was full of discussion: Some had noticed themselves reaching for their phones mindlessly, coupled with jolts of “panic” when finding it missing; some felt irritable or frustrated about not being able to look things up on demand; some were nervous to wander the city’s streets without their GPS; while others rationalized the reasons they urgently needed their phone or felt extreme fear of missing out. At the same time, many felt liberated, noticing more around them and enjoying the freedom of not accessing work emails in the evening. Almost all learned something about themselves.

Over half of the world has a smartphone, and the devices’ evolution from a luxury to a necessity has been rapid and all-encompassing. In the professional realm, our phones are vital for communication…