SmartPhone Users : Think Before You Do

Dear Friends,

Experts are waving the red flag. While addition to your favorite portable gadget can be both hard to define and oddly socially acceptable, too much attention to teach can leave you drained and unable to concentrate. Here are eight ways to to get your life back, now.

"Too much information can overwhelm our senses and leave us feeling depleted," says Courtney Stewart, research associate at the Indiana Prevention Resource center in the US.

"School work may suffer, deadlines are not met, and many instructions and employers now ban the use of cell phones while in class or on the job." Even worse, walking or driving while distracted by your mobile phone can have even more serious consequences.

"So put the phone down and spend some time talking with your friends face to face or better yet, take a walk with your friends if you want to connect and get some mood-boosting exercise."

If you think you may be tech obsessed, Stewart offers eight tips to break free from the chains.

01. Turn your phone off (not just silenced) while in the movie theater, or leave your phone in the car when spending time with friends.

02. Dine without your phone nearby, and never leave it directly on the table.

03. Turn your phone off while doing homework or in a meeting.

04. Resist the urge to tweet or update a Facebook status while at work.

05. Go on a walk, whether it is with a partner, child or pet, and leave the phone at home.

06. Trade in a mobile game for a game with others in person.

07. Look up directions before getting in the car to avoid looking at a GPS while driving.

08. Never text while driving.