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The other day we were returning from our trip from Amritsar airport. As we had plenty of time before we boarded the flight, we decided to have food at few counters available at the airport. After taking the order, the girl gently asked us to take a seat, and that she will call out when our food is ready.

We took a table near the counter. As I looked around, the sight was amusing. Maximum passengers had their head down. No, No … not as a mark of respect, nor were they bowing to God. They were all engrossed in their phones. As we queued up for boarding the flight, there were people of all ages ahead of us. While they waited for their turn to scan their boarding cards, the phone was still in their hands and they were scrolling. Average time spend on a pic/ video was less than 3 seconds.

This sight of people engrossed in their phones almost everywhere we go, has made me feel wretched. It is so amusing that we need phones everywhere and every time – while having food, chatting with friends, during family time, listening to important conversations with kids, at work, sitting on the pot, and almost every other place you can imagine. The phone has become an integral part of our lives.

If you think about it – not every time we are using the phone wisely. 90% of the time, we are only DUMB-Scrolling. According to Wikipedia, Dumb-scrolling is the overconsumption of short-form content, user generated content or news, on internet and social media on infinite scroll. I have a different definition to it.

To me DUMB-scrolling is when I keep scrolling the phone like a dumb person – not knowing when to stop. Even though I know that the time I am putting in it is not useful, neither the information is something that will help me or change anything within me, yet I keep watching the phone. The social media apps are more nuisance than help. Non-stop scrolling of the smart phone without any agenda is a criminal waste of our time.

I know none of us like to feel dumb. Sometimes, we are just caught unaware. If you don’t want to feel dumb anymore, here are few tips on how to stop feeling DUMB –

• Avoid unnecessary timeless scrolling
• If you still feel like watching something for time pass, allocate amount of time you will spend on it and stop there
• Instead scroll pages of books. Reading is a great habit
• Keep phone away while talking to someone – at home, office or with friends
• If you’re alone, it is better to meditate or have some quality time with yourself. Dumb-scrolling is ‘kabab-mein-haddi’
• Instead of scrolling on phone, call someone whom you haven’t spoken for years, saying you got no time
• If you want to watch something on OTT, decide what to watch and stick to it

Dumb-scrolling is a pandemic, which humanity is not yet accepting. We are glued to our phones for no reason at all. While our loved ones are craving for love, it is our smart phone who is taking all the time, attention and importance.

Let me make it very clear – I am not against the use of smartphones or using the internet and various social media apps. But I am totally sold on the fact that things which are unnecessary need to get lesser time from me; and those who deserve more time and attention should be garnering all the attention! I should be using my smart phone for important tasks and not just scrolls.

It is high time our smartphones stop making us DUMB. Instead we should become SMART and let the phone be the DUMB one.

P.S. – One common complaint is that when we travel in flights, we have nothing to do and hence need our phones. My suggestion – carry a book/ kindle with you. FLYBRARY is going to get available at most airports in India- make best use of it!