Picture Your Family Engaging Together —without their phones!

Here’s the in-real-life, setting… you’re at home, in the living room, and cozied up around the fireplace with your spouse and kids, which is so nice right -BUT when you scan the room, you see that each child (AND your spouse) has some sort of mobile device that has their full undivided attention. At that moment, you think “well, at least my family is here and we’re all together” and you walk away. Let’s be honest though… this isn’t a settling feeling -is it?! Ok, so let’s try again and REALLY picture your family engaging together — without their phones! Read this and make it so!

Your family and future together depend on it (and your heartstrings). Ok-ok, so I must admit that I’m just as guilty as everyone else! This tech-takeover was out of control and I needed to take accountability and it all needed to start with me. Here’s why…

Is technology taking over?

Thanks to smartphones and Wi-Fi, it’s everywhere these days. Sometimes I wonder how in the world our family ever lived without it. And other times I really wish we could find out.

As an entrepreneur, I often feel the need to be plugged in 24/7. My staff members and sales reps all have my phone number and know the door is always open to talk. I check my email often to make sure everything is going well.

But I recently got a wake-up call from one of my kids. She called me out one day and said:

“You know, Dad, when you put me to bed you used to really talk to me, but now I catch you checking your text messages or checking your email. That tells me you’re not really here.”

Ouch.

I realized right then that I had been letting technology take control of what should have been family time.

As I thought about it, I realized I was doing the same thing with my wife when I came home every day. Instead of being all-in and fully present when I walked in the door, I’d be checking technology all night long.

It caused me to realize that family time isn’t family time if we’re not fully present for it.

Picture Your Family Engaging Together —without their phones!

Can you take back your family time? (here’s the plan)

I decided to make a change. I led by example. I put my technology on the table.

Now when I walk into the house after a day of work, I put my smartphone on the table.

I know where it is if I need it. I can hear it if it rings. But I’m not tempted to check it every two minutes.

Just by doing what seems a simple thing, I am free to connect with my kids and my wife without being tempted to check emails, social media, or voicemail one more time.

I’ve even coined the phrase in our family, “Put your technology, on the table.”

When we all go out to dinner as a family, it’s the first thing we say. Every member of the family then puts their technology in the middle of the table.

Our kids get out their phones and we stack them up in a pyramid on the table. All of our technology stays on the table until dinner is done.

By putting our technology on the table, we all get a break from the constant tug of technology. It sends a clear signal that we are choosing to focus our attention on one another.

Learn the 7 effects of technology addiction on kids and how to overcome it.

Can the family engage without their phones?

It’s also allowed us to talk more about how we can intentionally use technology to build the brand equity of our family business. By not posting to Instagram or checking email for a few minutes, we can get the greatest return on our investment of time together as a family.

Now, whenever we gather as a family, whether for dinner, family meetings, or any family time, we put technology on the table — and it changes the dynamics of the gathering. Our kids will even call for everyone to put technology on the table if they want to get our attention.

The fact is that technology is important; we couldn’t run our businesses without it. And it can make family life simpler in many ways.

But if you really want to build your family’s brand equity, put your technology on the table — and encourage the rest of your family to join you.

What other strategies have you discovered for protecting family time from technology?

2020-01-23T18:14:27+00:00

2 Comments

  1. Michael D Golvach January 25, 2020 at 5:06 pm - Reply

    So true. Thanks for this article

  2. carol January 28, 2020 at 1:28 pm - Reply

    AMEN! I have older children and grandchildren. When we are together there is a no-technology rule.

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