ERP 241: How to Prevent Your Smartphone from Hurting your Relationship w/ Dr. Lori Whatley

Have you sat down to dinner with your partner only to find them on their cell phone most of your time together? Does your significant other consistently bring their computer into the bedroom, and you have a feeling of being dismissed?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Lori about the damaging effects of digital devices on relationships. Whether you are interacting with family, friends, or a partner, spending an excessive amount of time and avoiding others instead of interacting with them one-on-one can cause mistrust, a feeling of neglect, and displace couple intimacy.

(Please listen to the podcast episode or read the transcript to hear explanations, stories, and examples.)

 

Bio: 

With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Lori has worked with thousands of clients, both domestic and internationally. Through her countless hours of research, Dr. Lori’s commitment to helping businesses, families, and individuals overcome the problems created by device usage. Her book, The Effects of Texting on Marital Relationships, offers a poignant data-packed critique on texting within marriage, including its often negative impact.

In addition to working one-on-one with clients, Dr. Lori advises businesses on the operational effects of over-connected employees, managing technology, distractions in the workplace, and driving employee productivity.

In this episode, Dr. Lori Whatley and Dr. Jessica Higgins discuss: 

• How device usage can create challenges in relationships.
• How overuse of technology affects our levels of anxiety, quality of sleep and creates depression.
• Learn how human contact and in-person interactions affect our mood and brain chemistry.
• Why it takes up to 25 minutes for us to refocus after a digital distraction.
• How the amount of digital device usage can cut down on quality family and relationship time.
• How boundaries and rules can help couples resolve issues with overuse of digital time.
• How to deal with concerns of device addiction, jealousy and different ways of approaching social media in relationships.

Listen in to find out why it's important that we learn to balance our digital devices as a society, the red flags of using too much daily technology, and how digital devices affect our focus. Learn why our attention span is shorter now than ever, how technology can be used as a tool for avoidance in a relationship, and how the overuse of a digital device can create distrust.

“Everyday as I was working with couples, digital devices came up in our sessions.” by Dr. Lori Whatley

“The world needs to know how we are effected relationally and individually by our digital device issues.” by Dr. Lori Whatley

“The effect of technology is truly like another woman or another man in the relationship.” by Dr. Lori Whatley

“A “like” on social media is not the same as love in person.” by Dr. Lori Whatley

“Sometimes people fill their life and their hours up with their social media world and then they have no time left for in-person connection .” by Dr. Lori Whatley

Mentioned:

Connected and Engaged by Dr. Lori Whatley

The Effects of Texting on Marital Relationships By Dr. Lori Whatley 

Family Assessment on Dr. Lori Whatley's website

ERP 011: How Technological Impacts Our Relationship 

Connect with Dr. Lori Whatley

Dr. Whatley on the web

Get great information on her blog

Check out her new book Connected & Engaged

Read The Effects of Texting on the Marital Relationship

Visit with Dr. Whatley on Instagram

Chat with Dr. Whatley on Facebook

Connect with Dr. Jessica Higgins:  

Facebook: facebook.com/EmpoweredRelationship 

Instagram: instagram.com/drjessicahiggins 

Podcast: drjessicahiggins.com/podcasts 

Pinterest: pinterest.com/EmpowerRelation 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drjessicahiggins 

Twitter: @DrJessHiggins 

Website: drjessicahiggins.com  

Email: jessica@drjessicahiggins.com

If you have a topic you would like me to discuss, please contact me by clicking on the “Ask Dr. Jessica Higgins” button here. 

Thank you so much for your interest in improving your relationship. 

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Thank you!  

If you are interested in developing new skills to overcome relationship challenges, please consider taking the Connected Couple Program or engaging in relationship coaching work with me.