By Cheryl Mattox Berry
You’ve been ripping and running since school started in August. It’s time to chill. During the holidays, give your thumbs a rest, too. Disconnect from social media and reconnect with family, neighbors and old friends.
It’s hard to believe that a mere decade ago, social media as we know it didn’t exist. We didn’t worry about who called, what time and what we missed by not answering the landline. The answering machine took care of that. Staying connected 24/7 wasn’t deemed as important as it is now. Friends and family members knew how to reach us in case of an emergency.
Today, everyone tries to make you feel guilty if you don’t return a call within five minutes. They call your cell phone, landline, text, tweet and email. And for what? Usually, trivial stuff. Give me a break. Being hooked up to a cell phone, laptop or tablet all day and night isn’t necessary. Social media addiction is causing you to miss out on some important stuff. For example:
- Building relationships. You can’t get to know someone if you don’t talk to them face-to-face. You learn about people not only from what they say but also through their body language and mannerisms. What they don’t say is equally as important.
- The art of conversation. A conversation is an exchange of ideas, anecdotes and experiences.
- Learning how to listen, really listen. Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell how a person feels when you read a message. When the words are pouring from a person’s mouth, they’re often packed with emotion.
- Self-expression. The spoken word allows you to express your personality – who you are.
Here are a few more reasons you should spend more time interacting with people: college interviews, classroom discussions, job interviews, and future business meetings, just to name a few. They require talking, not texting. Learning how to hold a conversation takes practice. Start this holiday season by turning off social media for a day or two and tuning in to what others have to say.