Week 7: Diary of Behaviour

DAY 1

What do I use my mobile device for?

  • Morning alarms (although at times it does not really help wake me up)
  • Communication (messaging, call, etc)
  • Camera
  • Social media platform
  • Bus application (SGBuses) to keep track of the arrival time
  • Spotify

When and why do I use my mobile device?

  • Almost everyday, from morning to night
  • Sometimes I use it as a “distraction” when being around strangers, for example standing in a train among the crowd of strangers and you really have to do something to shake off the awkward feeling.
  • When there is wifi, and when there is no wifi (I just have to turn on the mobile data for that particular application that I want to use)
  • When I am bored and have to do something to pass the time, for example watching dramas on the go.

I observed while I was taking both the bus and train that:

  • Majority of the passengers would use their mobile devices mostly for games, watching shows, and plugged in to their choice of music.

 

DAY 2 – Picnic day at East Coast Park

It was a planned day out to East Coast Park for a picnic with a group of friends. Due to the ban of electronic devices for a day,  I had no access to morning alarms but it was not an issue waking up on time because my parents would be the usual alarm clock on a weekend — coming into the room and telling us breakfast is already prepared in the kitchen (so no more sleeping in).

Due to not being able to use my mobile phone for the day, I gathered up as much information as possible (meeting location, time, etc) the night before. It was a long drive from Jurong East to East Coast, and normally my partner and I would tune up to songs in the car, but not for the picnic day. Instead, we had a long chat and laughter in the car.

Throughout the day, constant notification tones can be heard from my mobile phone and I would try my best to not forget that it was a no-electronic-device day. Eventually, I managed to not care about my mobile phone as the day was filled up with jokes, games and cycling with friends, and there was no need to be using my mobile phone when all I wanted to do was to be free from the thought of projects and assignments at the time.

However, the moment the day ended, it was back to checking important messages (and the number of messages I have yet to read after a day off from mobile phone).

 

Because we’re so used to using mobile phones mostly everyday as it became a means of communication between families and friends, and for relaxing purposes and entertainment, it became a “must have”.

Some friends of mine ever mentioned that they would not be able to survive a day without their mobile phones with them.  So for me, I think the time where I can lay off the mobile device is when there is not a need to use it in a day — no messages, no important emails to look forward to, no important group project updates to think about.

One thought on “Week 7: Diary of Behaviour”

  1. I’m sure it was challenging at first not to be continually “connected” but I’m glad to hear that the experience made you attuned to other details or life experiences and perhaps attuned to a different sense of space and self.

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