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AIBU?

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Original poster

How often do you have your phone on you when you're just at home?

90 replies

blablablablablablablabla · 30/12/2021 09:29

When out and about and busy, I don't have my phone on me much and can miss calls / messages.

When in the house, I tend to have my phone near by. In the event there should be an important call etc. And just generally

What do you do ? Do you ever just not have your phone on you for the whole day, even if you're at home, doing nothing ?

OP posts:
elliejjtiny · 30/12/2021 10:42

I only use my mobile if I need to talk to someone or be contactable when out of the house, so mostly if I'm out and the dc's are at school or if I need dh to pick me up. I use my tablet or a pc for the internet.

OhGiveUp · 30/12/2021 10:46

Mine is on silent permanently. It lives in the kitchen drawer. Sometimes it's charged, sometimes it's dead.
I use my laptop or tablet for natternetting on.

TurdCrapley · 30/12/2021 10:48

If I'm not using my phone, it's in my back pocket or on a table near me. I'm never without it basically.

Gonnagetgoing · 30/12/2021 10:49

I’ve got a landline and my mobile. Sometimes I leave the mobile unattended (so I don’t check on it) and apart from social media alerts there are sometimes rare alerts eg WhatsApp etc.

Sparklingbrook · 30/12/2021 10:49

At work my mobile is in my locker, anyone wants me urgently they'll have to ring the work landline and ask for me.

Original poster
blablablablablablablabla · 30/12/2021 10:50

It's interesting about the superior thing.

I never hear people who are contactable a lot going on and on about it... it only seems to be the ones that couldn't care less about their phone and aren't reachable for hours on end that go on and on and on about their habits.

That may just be my limited experience of course.

I also never comment to those people that they don't answer their phone, so it's not in response to that.

OP posts:
Gonnagetgoing · 30/12/2021 10:50

I do have mobile in pocket when I go out but it’s on airplane mode when I’m asleep. I got nuisance calls or wrong numbers on it before that.

Original poster
blablablablablablablabla · 30/12/2021 10:51

@Sparklingbrook

At work my mobile is in my locker, anyone wants me urgently they'll have to ring the work landline and ask for me.
Yeah that's perfectly understandable. I was more talking about when you're at home, doing f all, by yourself with no guests either.

I also don't answer my phone constantly when I'm working or have visitors. But I keep an eye on it. I would never just leave it for hours and hours, as someone might need me.

OP posts:
CounsellorTroi · 30/12/2021 10:53

More likely to check phone when out and about. I don’t carry it about with me at home. Spends most of the time on the coffee table in the living room or in my bag. We have a land line so emergencies not a problem.

lottiegarbanzo · 30/12/2021 10:53

I hear people who are available constantly and believe this to be important, talking about it all the time. Because that is literally what they do - actually on their phones, or talking about being on their phones, while in other peoples' company, constantly!

Sparklingbrook · 30/12/2021 10:54

When I am at home doing f all (or mucking about on MN when I should be ironing like now) my mobile is where I last put it. So currently it's on my nightstand but I am in the living room downstairs.
When I next go up I might have a look for any messages or missed calls.

likeafishneedsabike · 30/12/2021 10:56

It’s a hard balance to strike, really.
I concur with previous posters who’ve said that it depends on who is in the house. If the whole family is at home, I (try to!) ignore the phone. If DH or DS are out of the house, I keep the phone handy in case they contact me. I am not immediately available to non family members.

LindaEllen · 30/12/2021 10:57

I'm glued to mine, it goes everywhere with me. I even annoy myself with it, to be honest. It's actually one of my new year's resolutions - to put it in a drawer when I'm reading/eating/watching TV. I want to enjoy things properly instead of only paying half the attention.

WhenZoomWasJustAnIceLolly · 30/12/2021 10:57

I’m on my phone 24/7. It’s really unhealthy but totally addicted.

U2HasTheEdge · 30/12/2021 10:57

Mine lives on the table near my sofa and goes up with me at night.

I use my MacBook to do most things online as I don't like using small screens. I don't use my phone a lot but it is nearby. I have a landline but no one calls on it.

KurtWildesChristmasNamechange · 30/12/2021 10:58

Mine is fully charged and on me 24/7.

elelel · 30/12/2021 10:58

Mine is always with me, it's also always on silent (unless waiting a call back from GP or similar, which is very rare) - i don't really do random social chat though, so no one is calling me for a natter.

likeafishneedsabike · 30/12/2021 10:59

I have the kind of job that means you are unavailable on the phone for hours at a time and hate it! The DC’s schools can’t contact me. DH has the same kind of job, only less available on the phone. In the case of emergency I have asked the DC’s schools to phone my work reception.

MerryChristmas21 · 30/12/2021 11:05

During term time I need to be contactable for work 6am -9pm at least, so it's always on or very near me (home or out).

My land line is rarely called, even more rarely answered as it's 98.99% cold/scam calls.

However, since I had an accident earlier in the year it's within touching distance 24/7 including in the shower. I can't risk not having it where I can call for help. (I live alone) . I'd LOVE to go back to my carefree days where I could travel (pre covid) & just go about my life without needing to know I can call for help if I need to.

Being that (unexpectedly) vulnerable, has changed my life as much as the actual accident has.

It's one thing to be gloriously free from needing your phone in ways you can't imagine, but it would be good if some people could dial down on the 'attitude'

stairgates · 30/12/2021 11:05

When I m home the kids are usually playing on my phone and if it rings they will answer it and bring it to me and if Im going out I generally always try to bring it with me.

MrsTimRiggins · 30/12/2021 11:08

I pretty much always have my phone on me, or at least very nearby. I’d be a bit daft to not have it on me while out on the farm, I’d rather not be left without any way of calling for help if ever needed (and it has been in the past!), same when I am out on my horses. In the house, it’s left on the coffee table while I watch tv or on the worktop while I cook etc.
Do not disturb comes on automatically at 10:30pm and put on charge the other side of the room when I go to bed, but I’ve set it so calls from my husband can still come through, just in case. He works long hours in a relatively dangerous manual job and I would hate to be unavailable should he ever need me.

Thepineapplemystery · 30/12/2021 12:10

I'm constantly on my phone when I'm home. It's not good!

Out and about it's in a pocket and I miss calls a lot. It's never off silent though which doesn't help.

KurtWildesChristmasNamechange · 30/12/2021 12:30

I don't have a landline so my mobile is essential really. I have an elderly mum who calls a LOT, young DC who go to their dads and contact me when they're there, and young adult DC with young babies living in their own homes who often call or message to ask me xyz. Plus I use it for work (freelancer).

gannett · 30/12/2021 12:31

I rarely check my phone when I'm at home, or indeed when I'm out. It's always on silent. When at home it's usually charging somewhere and I don't keep an eye on it. When I'm out it's in my pocket or bag and I don't keep an eye on it.

Obviously I'll sometimes have it on me if I'm sending messages, using the internet, using any other app, playing music, and those are the times I'll get a message instantly. Most of the time, though, I get messages in the fullness of time and reply as and when I feel like it.

It's 2021, there are plenty of ways to get hold of me if someone really needs to. I often have my laptop open if I'm at home so email is usually better than phone. I'm not one for talking on the phone too much so I try to discourage people from actually ringing me up!

I don't really worry that someone might need to get hold of me right this second though. Few things are really that urgent. They can wait, it'll be fine.

Kotatsu · 30/12/2021 12:45

I have it on my constantly, and next to me in bed (on do not disturb, but with some apps allowed through). The job I have I might get pinged at any time so I have to be available.