It’s no secret that technological advances are catching up to us quicker than ever, what with their taking on of jobs of increasing difficulty, accelerating our progression as a society, and allowing for split-second access to a vast library of knowledge. However, there comes a point when these advances become detrimental and negatively impact our abilities to grow as people and experience the world around us. In an attempt to combat this readily expanding issue, many devices have begun to implement “Do Not Disturb” features. The goal of this is to mute notifications and allow for greater concentration in the face of constant distractions. I have only recently begun to use this option in hope to silence the influx of texts and updates popping up during class. It was in my time without this common technology that I realized just how dependent I was upon my phone and the access it gave me to others.

In order to ensure I would not be tempted to pick up my phone during the fifteen minutes I allotted to this assignment, I engaged “Do Not Disturb” mode and placed the device away from me. I quickly began to realize I was not comfortable with this situation. Despite not checking my notifications during class or other such times in which my attention is required, I now realize I am reassured by the sporadic vibrations throughout the day. They remind me that even though I am not directly conversing with those on the other end of these texts, those people are still there and are available if I would need to talk to them. Denying these notifications to come through deprives me of that reassurance, and I found myself growing anxious as the minutes went on. What if someone needed to contact me? How would I know if there was an emergency? The goal of “Do Not Disturb” is simply that, to remove the disturbances of incoming messages and calls and allow for users to focus on other aspects of life. My experience did not mirror this intent, as I became hyper-focused on the possibility of the conversations I was missing and the information I was not receiving. It was only through eliminating my access to these things that I was able to realize how reliant I am on my phone for communication and interactions with others.

While I believe technology is certainly a beneficial means of learning and connecting with the rest of the world, I would like to believe I am able to focus on what is in front of me without worrying that I may be missing out on what my phone has to offer. In reality, there is a good chance I am missing out on a lot because of these concerns. It was only when I took away these supposed distractions did I truly become fixated on them, and that is perhaps the more disturbing than the named disturbances themselves.