Smartphones are designed to make people more efficient throughout their daily lives, but it has recently become apparent to me  that electronic devices are becoming a major distraction and are making lives less efficient in some ways.

When I was growing up it was understood that as soon as I got home from school I would sit down at  the dining room table and finish all my homework, even get ahead if I could, then I was allowed to go play or read or something. The thought of watching television during the school week never even crossed my mind because I knew the answer would be an absolute no. No, my parents weren’t overly strict or uptight when it came to most things, but in my house, school always comes first, failure wasn’t and isn’t an option.

Now when I come home from school or swim practice, I immediately get on my phone and check Snapchat, Instagram, VSCO, Pinterest and many others. I find that some days I put my school work second, and that’s not okay. I hear friends complain everyday that they didn’t get all their homework done the night before. If you ask why I can almost guarantee they’ll say they got caught up on a new show on Netflix or were procrastinating while being on Pinterest.

I watch my younger sisters come home and sit on the couch and play on their phones or watch television, occasionally they wait to have to be told by my parents that they need to get off their phones and get to work. Then, after they finish the bare minimum of homework for the night, they get right back on their electronics again. I don’t think I’ve seen either of my sisters even pick up a book in weeks.

In my opinion smartphones and electronic devices sometimes inconvenience lives rather than make them easier. In some cases, it is true that they can make lives easier because technology has grown and advanced substantially over the past years, but what’s the point if you’ll be constantly distracted when you’re trying to focus?

Don’t get me wrong, I love my iPhone and I wouldn’t give it up, but it would be nice if I could get everything done I needed to without even thinking about my phone. Sadly that’s not the case.