How to use your smartphone with common sense and good manners

• Don't become zombiesThe Anglo-Saxon dictionary coined this word, an acronym for smartphone and zombie, to refer to people who roam the streets, cross pedestrian crossings, and weave between cars, always staring at their screens, oblivious even to the sound of a horn. They walk as if hypnotized, endangering not only themselves but also others. They are unruly pedestrians, the front row of digital monsters.
• Ringtone and low voiceThese are two related annoyances: the loud ringtone, perhaps with ear-splitting music, and the loud tone of your voice. It's a good idea to get used to low volumes for both, and not just when traveling by train. Speaking loudly, among other things, means giving up any form of relaxation. privacyWhy bother others with our little secrets?
• Never at the table and never in bed. According to etiquetteCell phones should never be placed on the tablecloth, but should be kept in your bag or pocket. There are at least two reasons for this rule: hygiene and the tendency to look at the screen. Also, avoid falling asleep with your phone next to your bed. According to one study, the radiation emitted by smartphones is very dangerous to your health.
• Turn off the phone at Mass and mute the ringtone during a conversationIn church, you should always remember to mute your smartphone or set it to vibrate. Otherwise, you risk disturbing those around you, or the person you're talking to, if you receive a call or message. Unless it's an emergency, in which case, move away so as not to disturb those present.
• Also avoid vibration modeIt creates anxiety, uneasiness, and forces you to answer and figure out who's calling. It's best to set your phone to "Do Not Disturb" mode.
• Hands-free only if you are aloneAvoid using it if there are other people around you, first and foremost out of respect for the person who called you, who will certainly want to keep the conversation confidential, but also for those around you, who certainly have no interest in listening to your conversations.
• Lo smartphone it should not be used when you are boredIt's a device with specific functions, not a therapeutic tool for combating boredom, which, in fact, can only increase with constant tinkering. Furthermore, let's remember that sometimes being bored is good for us and helps us regain our energy.
• When we are with other people And using a cell phone is essential to be reachable and answer any calls. Let's not make up fairy tales. Let's explain, simply by telling the truth.
• If you answer, do it with empathy and not with an annoyed tone. You haven't received orders from the doctor to respond, but it's your choice and you must respect the person who is contacting you.

How to use your smartphone

• Avoid calls on Sundays and holidaysSunday is considered a holiday, a time for rest and family. Also, avoid disturbing anyone with work after 8:00 PM or after lunch, when someone could be resting.
• If it's busy, don't try again right awayIf someone doesn't answer on the fourth ring, hang up and call back later. It's pointless and definitely inappropriate to try calling multiple times in quick succession.
• Don't document everythingThe increasingly widespread tendency to share with others everything we do, from photos of a day trip to our chicken stew artichokes, exposes us to the risk of self-promotion. The time we dedicate to capturing, photographically or visually, the various moments of our days limits our ability to enjoy them and risks giving others a distorted idea of ​​who we are.
• You foresee a digital fasting weeklyAccording to experts, a smartphone detox diet helps you recharge your batteries and get back on track with more energy. Don't become a slave to technology, but try to do without it sometimes, dedicating more attention to yourself, your relationships with others, and human contact.
• Don't give it to children when they are still smallChildren should use cell phones with great moderation and under constant adult supervision. However, it's always better to be with friends than to spend the afternoon chatting on a smartphone. Children should only use cell phones for emergencies.

The radiation

Apart from etiquette, which in any case has its role in our sustainable living sites, when using cell phones and smartphones we must never neglect the aspect of safety. of your digital ecosystem. . Thus avoiding wasting parts of our health. Cell phones are devices that emit radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: their dangers are the subject of scientific studies, and there is still no consolidated literature one way or the other. However, we know that electromagnetic waves are among the "possible carcinogens" and must be considered as such, without waiting for further scientific verification. Hence, some simple precautions that we can consider as simple examples of common sense, without alarmism, but also without superficiality.

• Cell phones and smartphones should be used for short conversations. If they become long, even meetings, it is good to use the earphonesAnd still have them handy if we use our cell phones frequently throughout the day. Speakerphone is also a good solution, as long as, as we said, it doesn't disturb other people.
• Keep in mind that a distance of just 30 centimeters from your cell phone or smartphone reduces the intensity of exposure by 90 percent.
• Don't charge or keep your cell phone turned on near your bed.Even when not in use, cell phones emit radiation: little, very little, but real nonetheless.
• Don't keep it in your pocket near your chestThere are studies that show that cell phone radiation also interferes with fertility.
• Never consider it an object for children to play with.. It does not have this function.

Read also:

• How to be on time
• The power of silence to make us live better
• How to protect yourself from cell phone radiation
• At the bar with your cell phone turned off or on silent. The places in Italy where they're trying.

Cover photo by Hassan OUAJBIR via Pexels