Immersed in the phone, family matters are gradually forgotten
Smartphones are increasingly becoming an inseparable object in modern life. From work, entertainment to social connections, just a few operations on the screen can make users spend hours following information, chatting or surfing the internet.
When this habit lasts, conversations between family members can also shrink, and even important moments are missed.
Ms. Hoang Minh Anh - an office worker in Hanoi - said that her husband has a habit of using his phone almost all day. After work, instead of chatting with his wife or playing with his children, he often holds his phone to watch social networks, news or entertainment content.
There are days when he both eats and watches the phone, after eating he continues to watch. Husband and wife live in the same house, but many times each person has a different world. Once he was so engrossed in watching the phone that he forgot the time to pick up the children, I was very helpless," Ms. Minh Anh shared.
According to Ms. Minh Anh, the worrying thing is not only the time spent using the phone, but also the fact that this device gradually squeezes into the time periods originally spent for the family.
Falling into a similar situation, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung (Hai Phong), also admitted that he once used a phone "recklessly". After returning from work, he could spend hours watching content on social networks without realizing the time had passed.
There were times when I thought I would only watch a little, but then video after video. When I looked up, it was past an hour. When family members talked, I still listened, but in reality my mind was on the phone," Mr. Hung said.
How to restore connection when the phone interferes with the family
According to Master of Psychology Bui Thi Hai Yen - Founder and CEO of NHC Vietnam Human Psychology and Development System - it is not advisable to completely blame phones or social networks.
Smartphones and the Internet have contributed to creating a lot of attractive content, but the deeper issue lies in how each person is prioritizing their partner and family.
''When one person shares but the other person is not focused, often distracted by the phone or reacts with judgment, the person who shares may feel disrespected. If this situation recurs, they will gradually not want to share anymore,'' expert Hai Yen said.
Meanwhile, social networks easily create a feeling of being noticed, encouraged and recognized through likes, comments or positive feedback. This feeling can make users continue to return and spend more time on the online world.
To limit phones interfering in common life, according to experts, couples need to actively create periods of time without technology devices.
For families that have not been seriously affected, everyone needs to be self-aware when entering a conversation with their partner: put your phone aside, focus on listening and respect the person you are sharing with," the expert said.
Also according to expert Hai Yen, couples who have formed a habit of dependence on the phone should sit down and agree on a fixed time each day to completely not use the device. It can start from 30 minutes, then increase to 45 minutes, an hour or longer.
If a person is too dependent on the phone and separating from the device for 30 minutes causes discomfort, experts suggest that it can start with shorter periods, about 15 minutes, and then gradually increase," the expert shared.
The important thing is that the members create a habit together: when they are together, there are times when they completely belong to each other, without phones, electronic devices and without being interrupted by outside work.
