1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about becoming more aware of how you 4 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: are using your phone. Before you pick it up, ask 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: yourself what for, why now? And what else? These questions 6 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: come from journalist Katherine Price, and I learned about them 7 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 1: from a New York Times interview with Laurie Santos, who 8 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: is a Yale psychology professor and the host of the 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: podcast The Happiness Lab. Santos recommended using prices questions to 10 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: become more mindful about your smartphone usage. Here's how they work. 11 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: The first question, what for is about why you are 12 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: picking up your phone. Are you using the phone to 13 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: find out what the pictures so you can grab the 14 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 1: right weight jacket, or because you want to see how 15 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: people responded to an Instagram store you posted half an 16 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: hour ago. Or is it to check your email because 17 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: you worry there might be a message from your boss, 18 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:18,479 Speaker 1: even if it's after hours. Pay attention to the practical 19 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: or emotional needs that are prompting your phone usage. Then 20 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: ask yourself why now? Why is this the moment you 21 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: chose to pick up your phone? Because you were feeling 22 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: self conscious, sitting at a table alone while you waited 23 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: for your friend, because you were bored, because you were 24 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 1: avoiding starting a difficult work project, or because you genuinely 25 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: needed the information right then, notice the emotional and contextual 26 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: factors that influence your urge to check your phone. When 27 00:01:53,360 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 1: you do, finally, ask yourself what else? As Santos puts it, 28 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: notice the opportunity cost of engaging with your phone. If 29 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: you weren't on your phone, what else would you be 30 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,959 Speaker 1: doing instead getting your work done, playing with your kids, 31 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 1: people watching, reading a book, staring at the wall. It's 32 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: easy to tell yourself that you are doing nothing when 33 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: you picked up your phone, but you probably would have 34 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: done something if your phone hadn't been an option. Even 35 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: if that's something is staring at the wall. People did 36 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: something before two thousand six when they were bored, whatever 37 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: that happened to be so, acknowledge what you are giving 38 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 1: up doing to spend time on your phone. You can 39 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: use the fitting acronym www to remember the three questions what, fur, why? Now? 40 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: What else? Our phones are powerful tools. They can do 41 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: wonderful things like summon a car or dinner, and tell 42 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: us how to get to that place we never driven before. 43 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 1: They can also eat hours a day if we are 44 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: not careful and keep us from wrestling with difficult issues. 45 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: When we understand how we are using our phones, we 46 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: can make sure they are tools that are serving us 47 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: and that we are not beholden to them asking what for, 48 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: why now? And what else can make that happen in 49 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:31,519 Speaker 1: the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 50 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd 51 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 52 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 53 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pop that's B the 54 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: number four, then breakfast p o D. You can also 55 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia 56 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: dot com. That before Breakfast is spelled out with all 57 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to staying 58 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. 59 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:19,359 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i 60 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 61 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.