Monday Musings - the cost of being present

I read this article during the week and was reminded again just how much technology has worked its way to subtly become a huge, invasive part our lives - it's almost embarrassing that we need to have an incentive to focus on being present with people...

The short version of the article is that a restaurant owner in LA is offering a 5% discount if customers will check their phones at the door.  The owner's rationale?

"It's about two people sitting together and just connecting, without the distraction of a phone, and we're trying to create an ambiance where you come in and really enjoy the experience and the food and the company"

Many people who know me well are aware that I'm a big advocate for this sort of thinking and I'm proud to say that our church did a series on this subject (Rage Against the Machine) back in June 2011.  There is so much research available that it's only a matter of time before we realize that so much of the reason we feel so "busy" and always switched on is directly related to these devices in our pockets (or even more accurately, on our tables...) that are causing psychological and physiological reactions for us.

I am trying to become more and more conscious to make sure that when I'm meeting up with someone or I'm in a group situation, I keep my phone in my pocket and out of sight, unless I need it for a specific purpose.  There's no question that when I can see it (even subconsciously), I am not 100% focused on the discussion going on and the people I'm with.  There are constant subtle messages telling me to check my email, look something up, think about other things.

I've also mentioned before that I'm also really disciplined about turning the email on my phone off on Thursday night and putting my phone on our hall table on my day off (Fridays), so that it's not anywhere near me, giving me those "look at me...!" feelings throughout the day.  I can't tell you how much difference it makes in my ability to relax and focus on the people I'm with.

As I read the article, I wondered about whether there are some creative ways for us to implement this kind of thinking in a church context.  Because our phones have become such multi-use tools, we have a lot of people that use them during the teaching in our Sunday services as their Bible or to access the teaching notes.  My original thought was to encourage a "check your phone at the door" policy in our home churches, but because people have taken notes during the service that will contribute to the conversations, that's not going to work.  Regardless, I think it's going to become more and more important for us to continue to explore the ways in which we are learning to be fully present when we're together in community - whether that's two people out for dinner or in a large group context.

Are there any times in the last week where I have been in the same space as someone else, but have not been fully present with them?
How often do I put my phone away so that it is truly out of sight and out of mind?
How can I encourage the people in my closest community to have a greater sense of being present with each other, particularly in terms of the distractions of technology?