If you do not have the courage (or the vocational luxury) to live without a cell phone, Christian courtesy and quietness of soul can be assisted by nurturing a number of simple habits:


1. Put the Phone on Mute during any conversation.


2. Treat your phone like another person. Turn it over when talking or meeting with someone (you don't want to be distracted if it lights up when a call comes in). Also, turn off the vibrate and ring functions. The message we send to those we are with is clear: my attention is 100% on you.


3. Use the cell phone as a tool, not a toy. Don't rot the minds of children (your own, or others) by collecting game apps to share, to "keep the kids busy", - the saints warn us about wasting time in such useless ways. Instead, use email and photo apps to document decisions and reminders for consideration later.


4. Set aside time to review and respond to messages, either text or voice. This will encourage you to refuse calls when you are with other people (face to face), since you know you'll have time set aside to give the calls and messages your full attention - later.


5. Remember that email and text messaging are suitable for the most simplistic decisions, such as setting a meeting time and place. Email should never be used for making decisions requiring any subtleties of discussion.


6. Use the drafts folder to store messages to which you need to reply later.


7. Use photo functions to record ideas, trivia, and information you'd like to share with others at some time in the future. Save all this in a single file, without dedicating any time to organizing it (simply find it later - if ever!). This is one of the simple benefits of technology: use it as a tool, not for clickbait or Facebook postings, but for useful purposes related to work, family, church, or constructive hobbies.


- FrG+