What nags at you, day in and day out, wailing its siren call, pestering you to pay attention, and for heaven’s sake, stop everything you’re doing right now?

No, I’m not talking about your kids, nor your boss. I’m talking about that cold piece of metal in your pocket. Your cell phone.

You spout, “Well, it’s just a piece of equipment.” Oh, no, it’s more than that. Much more. It’s a slave-driver in disguise, and it’s got your number. Literally.

When I go to my kids’ games, I can’t help but notice that a quarter to a third of all attendees are on their cell phones at any one time. Heh, aren’t cell phones suppose to work for us, not against us?

Research has finally confirmed what we’ve known all along, but were too afraid to admit—multitasking is not good. Distractions are not good. Interruptions are not good.

Where is presence? Where is focus? Where has the beauty of silence and stillness gone? To the sweet by and by?

I pray not. To always be on, to never taste the real freedom that comes from not being attached to this time and energy sucker, is draining.

Cell phones, more often than not, take time away from our family, from our important relationships, from the things that matter. They even distract us from the work at hand. And they take time away from the little we already have to decompress, daydream, and rest.

Being attached 24/7 causes stress. We’ve forgotten the value of being able to simply breathe and quiet down our busy minds for a while. Or to get work done.

Deep inside, I think we all do recognize just how enslaving cell phones have become (not to mention other technological gadgets). So if you’re ready to make changes, stay tuned for the next article where we will dive into strategies for shutting down and tuning into life.