Cell Phone Courtesy Month & Practicing Cell Phone Etiquette

Did you know that July is National Cell Phone Courtesy month? I mean, I’d like to think we all practice cell phone courtesy every month of the year, but every now and then it’s good to be reminded that consideration should always come first when using your favorite mobile device. I know since getting my snazzy new Samsung Galaxy S5 I’ve probably had my share of moments when I was more attentive to my phone than the people around me, so I’m really happy to share that U.S. Cellular is celebrating the month by encouraging good cell phone etiquette. I’ll be honest. We don’t really have any set rules in our home, which often leads to one person or another having to repeat themselves several times because the person they were talking to was more attentive to their phone than the family member sitting next to them. It sometimes causes frustration and has even led to arguments on occasion, so it would probably be a good idea for us to all agree on a few guidelines and rules because even though it is really wonderful to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues, it’s also really important to be present when we’re face-to-face with our loved ones. I know this is something I personally need to work on and I already have a few ideas that I’m hoping my entire family will agree to, or I at least hope they’ll all consider them.

Definitely no phones at the table during mealtimes.
Turning off all notification sounds at an agreed upon time.
Placing all phones together in one location so we can hold each other accountable and not be tempted to reach for them if they are right next to us.
Making a game out of it and creating some type of money jar that we all have to pay into if we break a rule. (I could go broke fast.)

Check these stunning facts:

A Pew Research survey found that 67% of cellphone owners find themselves checking their phones for messages, alerts or calls – even when they don’t notice their phone ringing or vibrating. That means a lot of people are checking devices at any given time or place and since July is National Cellphone Courtesy Month it is the perfect time to talk about the expectations and practices of wireless device users of all ages.

As may be expected, smartphone owners who are over the age of 54 have stronger etiquette beliefs than younger users.

Among adults 55-64, 82% think it is rude to check your phone while talking with someone else, and 80 percent think it is rude to check while dining.

63% of users 18-34 think it is rude to be on your phone while talking to someone else, while 57% think it is rude to check while dining.

Women are more likely to prefer texting over men. They are also more likely to have checked or used their phone to avoid conversations.

63% of people believe that no one gets upset at them for their phone use.

Do any of these statistics surprise you? While they aren’t surprising to me I will say they are all definitely worth thinking about the next time I reach for my cell phone. How about you? Do you have good cell phone etiquette or is there a little room for improvement?

Check out this interesting cell phone use infographic and don’t forget to download the Parent/Child Agreement to make sure everyone in your family is on the same page.