Cell Phone Stress

I am often amazed when I see people talking on their cell phones. It has become a national obsession. I like my cell phone – I really do. I feel more secure knowing that my family can reach me if they need to and that I am only a phone call away from the office.

I just don’t understand the need to talk on it constantly. I personally feel that cell phones are adding to our daily stress. Recently I was shopping with my daughter. It was getting late, and I wanted to call three friends before the night was over. I did something that I never do and used my cell phone to call them from the store.

As I followed my daughter around the store, hardly paying any attention to her, I tried to concentrate on the calls. All I really wanted to do was say a quick hello and speak to them the next day. By the time I hung up from the third call, I was totally stressed.

I had wandered around the store aimlessly, trailing behind my daughter. I had given up precious time that I could have spent with her. My friends did not get my full attention as I normally would have given them.

I felt stressed and disconnected. And I felt guilty because my daughter had all but been ignored. I learned a great lesson. Cell phones can be a wonderful accessory and certainly helpful in an emergency. But they can also add undue stress and cause us to lose focus on what is truly important.