Social and mobile…they go together like peanut butter and jelly. But, like anything else, too much of a good thing can be bad for you. The fact that our mobile devices are so portable means they go everywhere with us. And the reduced price of smartphones and data plans means that our social channels tend to go wherever our mobile devices go.
With our phones, we can now look up local restaurant reviews on Yelp, share photos of unique items we find at stores via Instagram or Facebook and even ask questions to our Twitter followers wherever/whenever we want. But the downsides comes with the addictive nature that comes with blending social and mobile.
A study conducted in February of 2012 by a team at Chicago University’s Booth Business School found that their study participants generally had a more difficult time resisting the need/desire to check their mobile device than resisting smoking or drinking alcohol. Wilhelm Hoffman, who led the study, indicated that:
“With cigarettes and alcohol there are more costs – long-term as well as monetary – and the opportunity may not always be the right one. So, even though giving in to media desires is certainly less consequential, the frequent use may still ‘steal’ a lot of people’s time.”.
And the addictive nature of mobile and social can impact your health, too. Studies have shown that employees are putting in more hours because they continue to check their work email after they go home, resulting in issues that include bad posture, elevated stress and muscle/skeletal problems from using the devices continually.
So, let’s take a break from those tweets, posts, photos and videos for a few. Walk outside, smell the flowers, pet a cat. Take some time to say hello to your co-workers and neighbors and reconnect with the social network you spent so much time building before you ever had a Facebook or Twitter account.
Cheers!
–Sean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/KD5TWZYe #SocialMedia
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/QvYIDy1A via @socmedsean
Finding a bit of balance sure leads to a healthier life.
Slave to the media ?
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/REyN1FRi via @socmedsean
We are creating a culture of immediate gratification oriented, ADD individuals. The internet, and social media to some extent, is kind of becoming a digital heroin needle for some of us. It’s healthy to get off the grid for awhile.
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/5O14epCY via @socmedsean
I don’t panic after only 15 minutes, but I have been known to text, tweet and FB someone trying to contact them. It’s always an “oh yeah” moment when they suggest that maybe I should have just picked up the phone! LOL
These are very good, Sean! I agree with Teri above…
There definitely needs to be a balance in life. People seem to have the desire to always be connected, and probably regret about being left in the dark.
This need of always being connected is really distracting people from what is really going on around them.
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/YzjjcZBm via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/WhmeoVS7 via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/LLifjXwf via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/IGdIIOpa via @socmedsean
My daughter says that when her mother calls her worried about where I am, she finds my last checkin on Foursquare
more difficult to resist the need/desire to check their mobile device than smoking or drinking alcohol http://t.co/h7gCJkaQ via @socmedsean
COMIC: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile & Social Media http://t.co/hEtcgks6 via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/jMy2YRWK via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/UeNB3JKz via @socmedsean
Pinnable! TY Steve & Sean! RT @stevecassady: Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/16tC4ufN via @SocMedSean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/sf7En3Ti via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/m9BtJnh0 via @socmedsean
#SocialMedia everywhere? Sad but true. We really need to get a grip on balancing SM use. John / #cartoon http://t.co/1xnItafD
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/uHYhKT7n via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/L8ADXJxe
I laughed remembering an article I read earlier in the year about the “phantom vibe” from phone ring on silent in your pocket. Very real! Thanks for sharing
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/gFB4km3e #humor #culture
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/FcyxkbXg via @socmedsean
I take a regular Sunday break! And then off-grid (totally) holidays on a regular basis. I need to!
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/H3OA8T29 via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/Y44yZk3p via @socmedsean Cc @MichaelLibbie @RobinTaylorRoth
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/S7AVCCw7 via @socmedsean
Whatever happened to the weekend? Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/cN7UQLH5 via @socmedsean
Anyone sounds familiar? LOL #socialmedia http://t.co/Tns4A79I http://t.co/xcCIRF6y
#eav (e)locris Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/RZSqvNNL via @socmedsean
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/HXLeHHvx via @socmedsean #eav (e)locris
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile And Social Media http://t.co/roTrLg7r via @socmedsean >another gd one^NT #JOMO
Comic: The ‘Always On’ Nature Of Mobile & #socialmedia LOL @socmedsean http://t.co/zCajJ89v