Don’t put your phone face up — here’s why it’s a bad habit

Although smartphones help us stay connected with the whole world, they can sometimes distance us from the people around us. A simple way to reduce distractions and stay present in a conversation is to place your phone face down.

Discover four everyday reasons to stop leaving your phone face up on the table, according to CNET.

Here's why you should put your smartphone face down

During dinner or a meeting, there is often an awkward pause when someone picks up their phone to check their notifications. This is called "phubbing" — a subtle distancing that makes the other person feel invisible.

Protecting the screen from accidents

The first reason is purely practical. When your smartphone is lying on the table next to a glass of water or a cup of coffee, there is an increased risk of accidental splashes. While most modern models are water-resistant, it's best to avoid unnecessary risks. Turning the screen face down protects the most vulnerable part of the device from drops and crumbs.

Small but noticeable battery savings

When the phone is lying face down, the backlight does not turn on every time a notification comes in. One activation won't drain the battery, but dozens or hundreds per day will make a noticeable difference, especially if you have notifications enabled in many apps and are active in numerous group chats.

It's a gesture of courtesy

Hiding the screen from view is a sign of respect for the person you are talking to, especially in dimly lit places like bars and cafés, where every flash is distracting. Sudden notifications provoke you to glance at or even pick up your phone in the middle of a conversation, but the habit of placing your phone face down counteracts this.

Reduce the "presence" of your phone in your life

There is also a personal reason: phones take up too much space, both literally and in terms of attention. Those who switch from compact phones to standard models notice that larger screens more easily draw attention to the next news headline or autoplay video in the feed.

Small smartphones have almost disappeared, and large ones are competing more aggressively for our attention. They often win out over books, movies, and live communication. One small but effective step is to turn the screen away when it's not being used.

Sometimes it seems impossible to escape your phone, and it's unclear if this will change over time or with a change in form factor. While it's impossible to control everything, you can control whether the screen is "looking" at you when you're not looking at it.

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