No Phubbing = No Regrets

What is phubbing?

Phubbing is defined as looking at your phone rather than interacting with the person you’re with. It’s phone snubbing.

Phubbing occurs when we are overusing our cell phones to constantly check our texts, emails, social media accounts, etc. These minutes add up to hours and before we know it, a big part of our day has been spent looking at our screens. When we are constantly checking texts, scrolling, or have our phone right next to us at all times, we aren’t able to be present with others. Instead, we send them a strong message that our phone is more important than they are.

How does phubbing affect relationships?

While cell phones have made communication with our friends and family so convenient, it’s actually negatively affecting our relationships. Too much of something good can lead to problems and hurting our family because of our constant need to be in contact with others will eventually take a toll. 

Relationships with our family are the cornerstones of our happiness. Dr. James A. Roberts, Ph.D., is a professor of marketing at Baylor University and the author of “Too Much of a Good Thing: Are You Addicted to Your Cell Phone?” He did a study on phubbing and the results showed that not only can it make our family members feel unhappy and depressed, but it can also have the same effect on us.

We’re all guilty of doing it, but we can change that behavior today! Instead of paying more attention to our phones, let’s put them down, look directly at the person talking to us, and invest in making our family relationships stronger than ever!

Author Inger Erickson

Inger is the founder of IE Marketing who joined Gabb as an early advisor on strategic partnerships. She is a mother of two kids who is passionate about helping parents develop deep and lasting relationships with their children.

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