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7 Phone Habits That Are Damaging for Any Relationship
The role that smartphones play in our life is huge given that the average person spends over four hours a day on their device. It’s not a surprise that your phone has a huge influence on many aspects of your life and your relationship is no exception.
We at Bright Side understand the importance of phone habits and found some that could be damaging your relationship.
1. Not showing your partner what you’re smiling at
It makes people feel awkward and miserable when their partner is present with them physically, but is enjoying something on their smartphone. In addition, your partner might start feeling insecure and jealous if you’re smiling at something on your phone.
However, the situation can be changed easily if you just share what are you laughing at with your partner. A recent study confirmed that couples that laugh together, stay together longer, so don’t be so ignorant and share what you like with your loved one.
2. Always carrying your phone with you
We’ve all done it, when leaving a room we take our smartphone with us for absolutely no reason. Sometimes it feels like it’s glued to our hands. This habit has several consequences, the first of which is that your partner might feel like you’re hiding something, resulting in a lack of trust, jealousy, and increased tension between the 2 of you.
Second, if you always have a phone with you, you’re likely to respond to notifications immediately, forgetting about the real world and your partner, who’s physically waiting for you. Instead of spending time with those who matter the most, you’re always distracted — checking what’s happening on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
3. Phubbing
Phubbing stands for phone snubbing and it’s the habit of constantly being distracted by your phone during a conversation. Several years ago, it was totally unacceptable and rude, but now it’s so common, people have stopped paying attention to it.
Recent research on the influence of phubbing in a relationship showed that 46.3% of people noted that their partners phubbed them, and 22.6% admitted it caused issues in their relationship.
4. The urge to check all notifications immediately
The amount of information available with the help of devices is unlimited, and it seems that if we don’t check right now, we might miss something important.
Try to prioritize notifications, since not all of them need to be checked immediately, and put unimportant notifications on silent mode. We end up giving too much time to these distractions and if you save this time, it can be used to connect with your loved ones.
5. Replying to work-related emails during non-working hours
You and your partner are probably both busy and have a very dynamic life. It’s difficult to gauge the importance of a career for some people. While replying to working emails and calls might seem normal to you, your partner might be dissatisfied with it.
Even if your work can’t wait, don’t forget that there’s someone who’s craving your attention. So wait until morning, or even until Monday to reply to work emails, but during the evening and weekends, make sure that you’re together with those who matter to you the most.
6. Checking your phone during dinner
In the modern world people are in a constant hurry, so dinner is a rare opportunity to spend some quality time together. It’s important to make sure to stay off of your devices during dinner. It’s ridiculous how people, who are living under one roof, can become total strangers just because of a lack of communication and time spent together.
7. Substituting emojis for tenderness
With the influence of smartphones, we start to forget about tenderness, caring, and showing love and support. At first, it’s easier to forward a picture instead of showing it. And then we substitute kisses with tiny emojis.
Psychotherapists are convinced that people create emotional bonds with their devices, which is unhealthy and leads to various problems in relationships. If you want to have a healthy relationship, keep in mind that hugs, kisses, touches, and presents can’t be replaced with digital communication.
Do you have any of these harmful habits? Do you feel like smartphones are affecting your relationship? Let us know what you think in the comments!
