Most People Think About Their Phones When They First Wake Up, Not Their Significant Others
Whether you’re reaching for your phone in the morning to shut off the alarm or to check all those important Instagram or Facebook updates you missed over the past 8 hours, you’re probably one of those millennials glued to your phone first thing in the morning. Heck, who am I to judge? We’re all guilty of it.
We’ve become dependent on devices and social media, addicted even, and it has become second nature to constantly check our phones to see if we have a new e-mail or a notification that someone has liked a photo. And it turns out we’re thinking about our phones more than we think about our significant others or even coffee first thing in the morning.
According to a new study out of the Braun Research Center and Bank of America, more people think about their phones than their significant others when they first wake up. The study “explores mobile behaviors and trends among adult consumers across the country,” its website states. “This year’s results demonstrate the notable impact that mobile devices increasingly have on our daily lives. For many, it’s the first and last interaction of the day.”
The study found that 35 percent of people thought about their smartphone first thing in the morning, followed by 17 percent who thought about coffee, and 13 percent who thought about their toothbrushes. Only 10 percent thought about their significant other (this is a tricky one, because what if your SO is lying there next to you? Or perhaps thinking about them is synonymous to thinking about your smartphone, because you reach over to text them “Good morning!” first thing).
Finally, 6 percent of respondents said they thought about the TV remote and 4 percent about their robe. Clearly we can see where people’s priorities lie.
The survey also tested what people do right before they go to sleep. 23 percent of respondents said they often fell asleep with their smartphones in their hands — compared to 44 percent of millennials who did that. Meanwhile, 36 percent of overall respondents said they were constantly checking their phones, and up to 54 percent of millennials were on their phone throughout the day.
While at times, having a smartphone can make life so much more convenient — we should get into the habit of putting them down every so often. It will help reduce our stress levels and keep us connected to the world in other, more tangible ways.