Online
A little reflection on smartphones
I post a comment that goes viral on TikTok. Start receiving notifications every day from that app. Over thousands of likes and answers, and the number keeps growing. I have over 10 messages on Instagram from people who want to comment on what is happening, and around 14 WhatsApp conversations of worried friends waiting for my answer.
I am on a train home and receive a notification from our joint bank account. The card has been declined in a supermarket. Oh no, what’s happening? Don’t we have enough money? I open the account, and check that everything is correct. Seems like it could’ve been a problem with the card reader. I think of calling the Last Bumble Match™ and letting him know that he has to try the payment again. I pause. I remember that he is a perfectly valid adult and can deal with this himself. I receive another notification that the payment was successful.
I am in my favourite Manchester restaurant. I just enjoyed an incredible bowl of ramen and a seaweed salad. I am very full. I take out my loyalty card to stamp it. Oh no, we don’t accept them anymore, you now have to download the app.
I try to open a new bank account in a bank that’s promoting digitalisation and closing most of its branches, because they want to go fully online. Because I am not from the UK, they need to do an additional ID check in person. My partner and I have to drive 40 minutes to the nearest branch on a Saturday morning.
I don’t drive yet. I have 4 different parking apps.
I am not really a person who shops a lot in big stores. My main addiction is charity shopping, and they don’t have loyalty cards, point systems, discounts or codes you need to redeem. I have 6 apps that do that. Sorry, 7 now that I have to download one for my favourite restaurant.
Every 28 days I receive a notification reminding me that I should be expecting my period today.
The Supermarket that delivers our grocery shopping has two different apps. One to place the order and one to keep track of our points and rewards. Same with my pharmacy and my backup supermarket.
I go to the office twice a week. I need four different apps to manage the public transport on these two days. Having one bank account is not enough anymore. It’s necessary one to receive your salary, one to use when you travel internationally, and a couple of credit cards to build your credit score.
Last year, my wallet was stolen. I had to block all my cards and order new ones. My friend had to pay for my coffee because we couldn’t find a coffee shop that would accept cash.
I have three different notification sounds in WhatsApp: one for people who generate me stress, so I can be prepared for it; one for My Last Bumble Match™, so I know that it could be important; and one for the rest of the people, to pay attention or not according to my energy.
The job descriptions don’t include a phone as a requirement to work with them, but I have two security apps to log in to the different systems that my company uses, an app to attend meetings, an app to book a desk in the office and a couple of WhatsApp groups. My company isn’t the exception. One time, I had to delete WhatsApp during some holidays to be able to fully disconnect from work. Another time, I had to leave the company WhatsApp group for the same reason. I was added again on my first day back. It wasn’t optional.
I work 8 hours a day. Sleep for around 7. Clean the house, cook, eat, shower, and do my skincare. I read a book every two days, learn things, take driving and guitar lessons, have long conversations with D., see my friends, go to markets, and exercise when I remember. My average screen time is over 3 hours a day.
I am writing this on a Friday, it’s 16:19hrs. I had 82 notifications today, spent 2 hours 25 minutes looking at the screen and unlocked the phone 29 times.