Your Mobile Phone...When Do You turn it off?

[blondguy]

Hi everyone! New members are always welcome to post too 🙂

There is no doubt that cellphones are a super invaluable tool in our social lives. There can be times though when we dread our mobile phone ringing...vibrating or beeping. Especially when we under stress or are experiencing even low level anxiety/depression

The health benefits are many as we are not on 'standby' for an incoming call that may or may not occur

Please let us know if and when you turn your phone off and why

• Having some peace of mind?
• Healing from ongoing anxiety/depression?
• Wanting to enhance the quality of your sleep?
• Just having time out for yourself?

my kind thoughts

Paul

• Thanks to RX for this thread concept "Phones put you under so much stress don't they , although many people don't realize"

[blondguy]

Hey TonyWK

Your years of life experience speak volumes here and thankyou for your kind post too

TonyWK mentioned " I've trained myself not to "save the world". Doing my best to help others begins with myself as my priority...or I cant help them" Your are spot on here TonyWK yet many people (with good intentions) do pick up the phone when a good rest is needed. I used to always answer the phone without acknowledging my own anxiety/depression first. My therapists have always mentioned what you have above....Nice1

Hey Soberlicious96......Great to have your valued support on this topic and thankyou 🙂 Good on you for having your phone on 'vibrate' prior to sleep...Good move! Similar to myself .....I guess my leftover anxiety wont allow me to choose vibrate....so just for me I mute my phone....Just to provide a better quality sleep 🙂 Good1

Hey Quercus......really great to 'see' you and thanks for the complimentary post too 🙂

Quercus mentioned " Let people know what to expect. So many people live on call (phone on them constantly) and often expect you to reply instantly. I let new friends know I don't keep my phone on me and sending extra texts or calls is just going to overwhelm me not make me reply quicker"

Quercus also mentioned "leave my phone in the kitchen at night on silent"...This is a classic example of how we can be 'kind to ourselves' ...Great post Quercus...Nice1

Hey Quirky.....Thanks for your kind and helpful post! You mentioned "Family get annoyed I don’t answer the phone"....absolutely! Ditto here....I am criticized frequently for not 'jumping' to answer peoples calls as well. I do respond at my convenience....And if anyone really wants to talk to me they can knock on my door...lol. Good1 Q

my kind thoughts and appreciation

Paul

[Guest5643]

Hi paul

I'll be switching my phone off very soon today and will sit in the drawer for 2 weeks to force rest my eyes. This past week the eye strain pain and nausea from it has been so intense ive been using alot of pain meds and now have bad indigestion from them. The first thing my optomestrist asks is do you have a smart phone. No one ever rings me so i dont have to worry bout missed calls.

Lynne

[monkey_magic]

Hi Paul & everyone,

My phone is on 24/7...it charges overnight and is on all day and night. I don't get bombarded with calls/texts so it's ok. I'm on the net a lot and have always used it for BB. Unlike in my 20's when I did and had to turn it off for peace of mind.

[Guest_1584]

Hi quirk and thanks Paul

l do the same quirk phones always on mute. l only answer to a few people , l also get lots of cracks from family for never answering..l mainly just text.

l run my business via text too and always have in my ads please leave a message and l'll reply as soon as l can. l've done 10k deals via text only. but it's also not as weird as it seems because that way you have every word, detail,bank acc's addresses name, the whole deal. automatically in writing, so that's a big bonus.too. Don't have to write down or remember a thing it's all there.

The main reason for all though is that too much talking on the phone makes me nervy, l hate it.

[blondguy]

Hi Everyone

Hey Lynne.....thanks for the proactive post! Im sorry about the pain you are going through and the pain meds you have to take.....You mentioned " The first thing my optometrist asks is do you have a smart phone" You are similar to me when you mentioned that you have no incoming calls. I understand you Lynne...Same here

Hey MM....thanks for helping out with your life experience. I envy that you can have a deep sleep without the anticipation of an incoming call...I wish! After having cellphones since 1991 they sometimes feel like an electronic dog collar to me...You are strong Monkey! Always a bonus to have you on the forums 🙂

Hey RX.....always great to read your posts and thankyou for contributing to the discussion too! 🙂 The mute function is a bonus to having some extra peace of mind and good on you RX....Texting is a smart move too as we dont have to get 'bogged down' in a phone call when we are not up to doing so. Nice1 RX

thankyou amazing people

Paul

[Quercus]

Thanks Paul,

I like how you always make an effort to include everyone in your replies.

It made me smile to read 'people can always knock on my door'.

I prefer putting what energy I do have (and some days it isn't much) into having a few close friends that I see in person. It is nice to have the ability to communicate with people further away though.

My Mum in law once said to me that it's important when you are unwell to make sure you're investing in real friends (the sort that will make time to come in person when they can).

It made me look at the energy I spent on maintaining too many conversations (or feeling guilty for not being able to) and how it affected me.

I am learning to accept I can only do what I can and if I don't put my health as a priority noone else will. On the plus side it shows very quickly who accepts you 'faults' and all.

I hope you're doing well Paul.

[Guest5643]

Hi paul

Well my 2 weeks lastest 2 days😅

Lynne

[blondguy]

Hi Everyone...New members are always welcome to post too!

Hey Quercus.....thanks heaps for the complimentary post and your great support on this topic....I do try hard to acknowledge members who have taken the time to post....When I dont you know my brain is very 'tired' 😉 Thanks for asking Quercus....I am doing better now x

Quercus mentioned "It made me look at the energy I spent on maintaining too many conversations (or feeling guilty for not being able to) and how it affected me" Great post!!

Hey Lynne....always a bonus to read your posts! Your 2 weeks lasting 2 days is just fine!....All that matters is that we understand the benefits of using the 'Mute' button 🙂 Thanks for your support on this thread topic 🙂

Some people can have their mobile on 24/7 and good on them!. I just dont want to be on 'standby' with leaving my phone on 'in case' anyone calls..Just for me my health comes first by turning it off...

I hope everyone has had a good weekend

Paul

[Guest_9043]

Great thread. Before 2019 I had a relationship so to speak with my phone. It was starting to change though, I felt so inconvenienced by phones. I mean when I was a kid we had a house phone, no mobiles. If someone rang for you they left a message and you called them back.

Now we are glued to the damn things. It's changed so fast really, perhaps too dangerously fast.

Anyway after I left Domestic Violence in June this year I hated hated hated my phone so much because of the now ex. It was a way to abuse me when I was not with her. The constant messaging and ringing. I would end up turning my phone off sometimes for a full 24 hours cause I could not cope. When I left I changed my number. I had to obviously.

Aside from that though I couldn't stand the sound of my phone ringing or a text message alert. Even with the phone being on silent I did not want to talk or message unless absolutely necessary.

Where I stand now, no one has my number besides professionals and businesses I may deal with. One person has my number that I know personally has it. That's it though.

It's on silent a lot. I don't ever turn it off. I use it to look at the time, the calendar, set an alarm if I need too. Write reminder lists and to make phone calls that are necessary. I still don't like it much though because it does give me major anxiety reminding me of the abuse I endured and getting really horrible phone calls. Not just the perp but the police as well when she had gone on one of her mental illness rampages. I'd rather not have a phone at all.

[blondguy]

Hi 2quik

Thankyou for your complimentary post and being part of the discussion too!

You have written an excellent post 2quik. When we become 'slaves' to our phones it doesnt help our well being at all. I had the first Motorola 'Brick' phone with a hands free car kit when I was in corporate and as per work commitments we have a 'duty' to answer any incoming calls of course (as you mentioned)

After 30 years using cell phones the last thing I want to hear is my phone ringing...Like yourself having a relationship gone sour can be even more painful if we leave our phone on

Just my humble opinion....I think we can have more peace in our lives by not 'being on alert' where incoming calls are concerned..(with my anxiety its a huge benefit to turn it off after hours when I need to have time out)

2quik mentioned "no one has my number besides professionals and businesses I may deal with. One person has my number that I know personally.. has it" Great post 2quik 🙂

my kind thoughts

Paul