Ask people what they can’t live without and I would guess 90 % will say their mobile. Wherever you are; on the bus, airport, train, hotel, you see people walking with their mobile. It seems like its part of our personality, and that we can’t live without it.
According to SmartInsights there are 4 billion mobile phones in use worldwide, and 1.08 billion are smart phones. Because of this increased used we are also changing the way we interact with each other, both as individuals and companies. For example, Americans are spending on average 2.7 hours per day socializing on their mobile device, this is twice the amount of time they spend on eating.
So is this a good or bad development?
I embrace the possibility to check mail, update my Facebook profile or access SuperOffice on my mobile. What I find alarming is that people's unwillingness to be offline. And let's not forget to mention that these same people also feel it an obligation to "share" their mobile habits with others in public.
I spend 45 minutes each morning on the bus to work, and the most annoying thing about that is not the crowd, the bus drivers hazard driving or the traffic, but how high the volume is on the headphones of my fellow travellers. I have nothing against music, but when 8 different people play music with high volume this can cause acute headache to anyone. Or the stressed mom who has to argue loudly with her teenager – in public! I have found my solution – earplugs!
Here are 4 tips to mobile etiquette:
1. Set your mobile on mute or turn it off during meetings, in the cinema or at a restaurant.
2. When you are with a group of people excuse yourself before talking a call. If you are expecting an important call – let people know.
3. Avoid mentioning people's full name or personal topics in public, you never know who is listening
4. A person face to face with you has priority over your mobile.
Our mobile devices are a crucial part of our daily life, but as long as man rules the machine we can make intelligence choices. Happy holidays!
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.
Charles Darwin
