(P)HHHMMM(ONE)

I wake in the middle of the night and instinctively reach for my phone. I innocently tell myself that I just need to check the time. It’s still dark out and I will surely go back to sleep, but as soon as the iPhone is in my hand, muscle-memory takes over. Before I know it, I’ve checked my email, browsed through Instagram, scrolled through my Facebook feed, and gone back to Instagram.

I check my phone first thing in the morning and right before I go to bed at night. I feel anxious if my iPhone’s battery is under 10%. I not only tap away on my phone while in line at the coffee shop, but I may continue tapping away as the barista takes my order. I check my phone during lulls in meetings, even in the middle of my favorite shows. It’s embarrassing to admit all of this, but I have a feeling that I’m not alone.