Hang up the phone, and let’s talk.

We all live busy lives. Technology has taken over and our smartphones are taking us away from our mindful path. 

Recently, Kevin Roose (From The New York Times) acknowledged the smartphone addiction problem and its article went viral. 

"I’ve been a heavy phone user for my entire adult life. But sometime last year, I crossed the invisible line into problem territory. My symptoms were all the typical ones: I found myself incapable of reading books, watching full-length movies or having long uninterrupted conversations. Social media made me angry and anxious, and even the digital spaces I once found soothing (group texts, podcasts, YouTube k-holes) weren’t helping. I tried various tricks to curb my usage, like deleting Twitter every weekend, turning my screen grayscale and installing app-blockers. But I always relapsed."

At Bagby, we believe that after a busy day at work, we should bring back our attention to the ones who matter the most. This is the same motivation that took "How to Break Up with Your Phone" author Catherine Price and San Francisco native, mother of two, and lifelong crafter Yvonne Israel-O’Hare to make a difference in this ultra-connected world and be part of the solution. 

“I was frustrated at having to ask friends and family members to put down their mobile phones so we could connect,” Yvonne Israel-O’Hare says. So she came up with a solution. It was important to her that her problem-solving product was: made of biodegradable material, useful, well-crafted, and well-designed. 

Drawing on her experience as a photo stylist and casting director and relying on her eye for detail, she created a beautiful place to store digital devices. She hopes her product serves as “A physical reminder of an important message: that real connection starts the moment we disconnect.” 

This is the time to start becoming aware of the phone addiction problem and do something about it. Our smartphones are controlling us. It's time to LOOK UP!