WEBVTT - What for, why now, what else

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Morning, This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is about becoming more aware of how you

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<v Speaker 1>are using your phone. Before you pick it up, ask

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<v Speaker 1>yourself what for, why now? And what else? These questions

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<v Speaker 1>come from journalist Katherine Price, and I learned about them

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<v Speaker 1>from a New York Times interview with Laurie Santos, who

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<v Speaker 1>is a Yale psychology professor and the host of the

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<v Speaker 1>podcast The Happiness Lab. Santos recommended using prices questions to

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<v Speaker 1>become more mindful about your smartphone usage. Here's how they work.

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<v Speaker 1>The first question, what for is about why you are

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<v Speaker 1>picking up your phone. Are you using the phone to

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<v Speaker 1>find out what the pictures so you can grab the

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<v Speaker 1>right weight jacket, or because you want to see how

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<v Speaker 1>people responded to an Instagram store you posted half an

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<v Speaker 1>hour ago. Or is it to check your email because

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<v Speaker 1>you worry there might be a message from your boss,

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<v Speaker 1>even if it's after hours. Pay attention to the practical

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<v Speaker 1>or emotional needs that are prompting your phone usage. Then

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<v Speaker 1>ask yourself why now? Why is this the moment you

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<v Speaker 1>chose to pick up your phone? Because you were feeling

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<v Speaker 1>self conscious, sitting at a table alone while you waited

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<v Speaker 1>for your friend, because you were bored, because you were

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<v Speaker 1>avoiding starting a difficult work project, or because you genuinely

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<v Speaker 1>needed the information right then, notice the emotional and contextual

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<v Speaker 1>factors that influence your urge to check your phone. When

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<v Speaker 1>you do, finally, ask yourself what else? As Santos puts it,

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<v Speaker 1>notice the opportunity cost of engaging with your phone. If

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<v Speaker 1>you weren't on your phone, what else would you be

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<v Speaker 1>doing instead getting your work done, playing with your kids,

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<v Speaker 1>people watching, reading a book, staring at the wall. It's

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<v Speaker 1>easy to tell yourself that you are doing nothing when

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<v Speaker 1>you picked up your phone, but you probably would have

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<v Speaker 1>done something if your phone hadn't been an option. Even

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<v Speaker 1>if that's something is staring at the wall. People did

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<v Speaker 1>something before two thousand six when they were bored, whatever

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<v Speaker 1>that happened to be so, acknowledge what you are giving

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<v Speaker 1>up doing to spend time on your phone. You can

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<v Speaker 1>use the fitting acronym www to remember the three questions what, fur, why? Now?

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<v Speaker 1>What else? Our phones are powerful tools. They can do

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<v Speaker 1>wonderful things like summon a car or dinner, and tell

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<v Speaker 1>us how to get to that place we never driven before.

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<v Speaker 1>They can also eat hours a day if we are

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<v Speaker 1>not careful and keep us from wrestling with difficult issues.

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<v Speaker 1>When we understand how we are using our phones, we

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<v Speaker 1>can make sure they are tools that are serving us

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<v Speaker 1>and that we are not beholden to them asking what for,

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<v Speaker 1>why now? And what else can make that happen in

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<v Speaker 1>the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's

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<v Speaker 1>to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd

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<v Speaker 1>love to hear from you. You can send me your tips,

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<v Speaker 1>your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter,

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<v Speaker 1>Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pop that's B the

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<v Speaker 1>number four, then breakfast p o D. You can also

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<v Speaker 1>shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. That before Breakfast is spelled out with all

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<v Speaker 1>the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to staying

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<v Speaker 1>in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio.

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