One brother set his phone face down in the middle of the table and then looked at the other with a challenge in his eye. Would he be willing to turn his phone off during the meal?
An Austrian Advert Agency coined the term “phubbing” in 2012.
This word, coined by an Austrian Advert Agency in 2012, is new to many of us, yet we’ve seen it happen often.
Pubbing means we ignore our friends and family in front of them in favor of the phone
A study reported in Healthline revealed that 32% of the people reported being phubbed 2 -3 times per day. 17% admitted to phubbing others at least four times per day.
Relationships Are Suffering
Talking on the phone while being with someone or even having the phone present makes people feel less connected. “In the latest study on the subject, phubbing was found to threaten four “fundamental needs” — belongingness, self-esteem, meaningful existence, and control.”
Phubbing causes those being ignored to feel rejected, excluded, and unimportant. Furthermore, while being phubbed, that person also connects to social media or interacts with online friends, thus creating a continuous circle of isolation.
You’re a Phubber If You:
- Try to have two conversations simultaneously, one on your phone and the other in person
- Bring your phone to the dinner table or other social settings
- Can’t get through a meal without checking your phone
How to stop Phubbing
- Put the phone on the charger with the volume muted for at least 30 minutes before bed. Of course, an hour before bedtime is an even better idea.
- Make a Do Not Disturb list or Emergency list on your phone that allows only certain people to get through at night.
- Create No Phone Zones in your house, such as dinner, date night, or even all evening if you can handle it.
- Snuggle with your husband at bedtime and leave the phones alone.
