In the age of connectivity, the rules of etiquette have either gotten more complicated or have been thrown out all together. In social situations these days, you are often flooded with phone calls, texts, emails, updates from Twitter, Facebook, or other numerous other social media feeds. It may seem like good sense to turn off your cell phone or perhaps silence it in social settings, but some people don’t realize that they aren’t giving you their full attention when they say the alert from their phone will “only take a second.” Here are a few examples of connectivity faux pas and tips to avoid making them.

Phones at the Dinner Table – Just as you would not turn your back to someone you are talking with, texting or answering your phone at the table is not very polite.

Tips to Avoid this:

• Excuse yourself from the table if you need to take an urgent call.
• If you know you will be distracted and curious if your phone alerts you of a text, take a preventive step and turn it off.
• For dinners lasting longer than an hour, you could suggest the table take a “cell phone break” for those who need or want to check their emails or messages.

Loud Phone Calls in Public Places – No one wants to hear the ins and outs of a stranger’s relationship.
While you may not realize how loudly you are speaking or how quiet the environment around you is, you can be certain the people around you do.

Tips to Avoid this:

• Silence your phone and do not answer it
• If you need to answer the call, step away to a secluded area to take it and tell the caller that their call is important and you will call them back in x amount of minutes.
• If you must take the phone call and you are waiting in line, ask the person behind you to hold your spot and quickly go take your call.

Becoming Overly Dependent on Digital Communication – Email is a popular method to communicate but making it the only way people can get a hold of you will make you too dependent on your device. This can lead to disconnection and distraction in face-to-face social situations.

Tips to Avoid this:

• Make the most of face-to-face communications.
• Make your phone to be the best way to get a hold of you over email or texting.
• Resist the urge to respond to email immediately, wait to check it after you leave your social engagement.

It’s up to us to be aware and recognize when we are invading other‘s space or ignoring our companions because we are too connected. Hopefully following a few of these etiquette rules will help us make the most of face-to-face communications that are happening less often in this age of connectivity. Can you think of other social faux pas that occur due to digital communication? If so, let us know!