“People who smile while they are alone used to be called insane, until we invented smartphones and social media.”—Mokokoma Mokhonoana
AS I’m writing this piece, I’m already on my second donut and have gone through half of my Venti-sized frap—and I still haven’t even finished the first paragraph.
I feel a vibration and pick up my phone, embarrassed to see that I’ve only made 895 of my 10,000 daily step requirement so far. On the other hand, I’ve already gone through most of my social-media feeds, replied to some urgent e-mails and even had time to check out some juicy conversations from our “positivity group”.
But there was no text or new notification, and the truth is, I’m not even sure if my phone really vibrated or if it was just another phantom vibration.
Phantom vibration, or what is also jokingly called “ring-xiety”, is the belief that your phone is vibrating or ringing when it’s not. It’s a condition that affects as many as seven in 10 mobile-phone users, and though its main effect is simply annoyance, research suggests stress can exacerbate incidence.
Phantom vibrations, texting thumb, iPosture, nomophobia, laptop thighs, scrotal hyperthermia—I swear, I’m not making this up. These are actual medical conditions brought about by excessive gadget use. I know what you are probably thinking. I need it for work and I’m not “overusing” my smartphone/gadgets.
Yeah, right.
Checking on the status and posts of your ex, your boss, your friends or even that pretentious guru who posts nothing but makeup and cat videos, is certainly hard work. My dad, who just turned 64, discovered Facebook a couple of years ago. I created an account for him so he could have a bit of a pastime. Now, he’s the first one to share the latest trending videos, like and share my status updates and keep our family group posted with the day’s top stories (even the fake ones).
My mom, on the other hand, is now a multimillionaire and has extended her plots of land for the nth time in Farmville 2. She is also among the growing number of people who, I think, has developed a sensor of sorts, as she hasn’t bumped or tripped while playing Bubble Witch Saga on her phone and strolling around the mall.
And then there’s Calvin, my nephew who keeps asking me for P10 on weekdays and P25 on weekends. At first I thought he just needed some extra lunch money, until I discovered that he was actually using it to subscribe to Smart’s new Video Timeout 10. The promo (text VIDEO10 and send it to 9999), he confessed, gives him unlimited data for one hour of YouTube streaming. Oh, and the P25 is for a three-hour subscription which he uses on weekends.
The good news is he never gets bored; the bad news is he watches YouTube even during meals.
Still in denial?
Truth is, office drones, teen phone addicts and those of us who work mostly in front of the screen are coming down with illnesses that have trendy names as the devices that cause them. According to research, that hunchback you’re developing is called iPosture and might really be your mobile phone’s fault.
It may sound like the latest product from Apple, but iPosture—or cervicalgia—is being used to describe the stooped body shape adopted by those texting, e-mailing or playing games on their tablets or smartphones. So before you check out that new iPhone, it might be a good idea to check if you have iPosture, as well.
“Leave your worries behind,” they tell you, but apparently not your mobile phone. Nomophobia, or short for “no mobile phone phobia”, affects most mobile-phone users who can’t seem to live and go about their day without their phone—even when they’re just going to the bathroom.
Then there’s what they call the “texting thumb” (tendinitis, or overworked thumbs), which is continuously on the rise either due to extensive messaging, liking or even swiping left or right.
Other gadget-related ailments include scrotal hyperthermia (hot balls, weak sperm, cybersickness or kinetosis and sleep deprivation, among others. Studies show that excessive use of smartphone and/or tablet (whether for binge-watching or binge-stalking) before bed messes with sleep cycles as the light from the screen can suppress melatonin release and keep the mind from entering the the half-awake state that precedes sleep. Blue-light apps can help, but placing your gadgets away from your bed is a lot simpler.
Apparently, the more we become dependent on technology, the more its likely to lead us to a sedentary lifestyle. Which means we are spending more time sitting or lying while reading, socializing, watching television, playing video games or using a mobile phone/computer for much of the day, than moving around or working out. Living a sedentary lifestyle has been linked to a lot of health issues and contributes to many preventable causes of death.
So, if your day is mostly made up of facetime and screen time, now might be a good time to reassess how much of your life is spent on your gadgets before you become afflicted with these “digital disabilities”.
FITNESS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
I’ve been guilty of living a sedentary life for quite a while, and I’ve experienced most of the symptoms I mentioned above.
Its partly due to the nature of my work as a writer, but mostly because I share the most common excuse of a lot of out-of-shape (and, in my case, overweight) individuals: “I don’t have the time to exercise.” I’ve always wanted to enroll to a gym, but it was almost impossible to work it into my previous work schedule. The nearby gyms would be either still closed before I left for work, or were already closed by the time I got home. Sure, there are those located in shopping malls but, hey, I wasn’t going to sacrifice the little time I had for sleep.
But since I left my previous job and returned to being a freelancer…I never thought I’d say this, but I’m actually excited to finally hit the gym in the next few weeks.
I’ve heard about Anytime Fitness from a few other friends who tried it, and their comments were almost all the same. The place was clean, the equipment was high tech but not intimidating and the people are not your usual intimidating fitness freaks. And the best part of it all is that it’s open 24/7—and with the FOB key, you can visit any branch anytime. Anytime Fitness recently opened its 50th branch in Glorietta 5, in Makati, and I got to learn more about the brand and why they’ve been recognized as one of the world’s top global franchise brands and named International Franchise of the Year by Franchise License Asia three years in a row.
“The answer to everything in the gym industry is convenience. The goal of Anytime Fitness is to provide all kinds of people—from the moms and the pops, the aunts and uncles and everyone else—a place where they can achieve a healthier lifestyle and have fun reaching it,” Anytime Fitness Asia CEO and Master Franchisee Maurice Levine says.
Levine adds that changing the mind-set of people about gyms is not just about beautifully connected 24-hour facilities, clean bathrooms or having the most high-tech exercise equipment, but to genuinely understand why people are going to the gym. In a sense, he says gyms need to “outcare” one another in terms of knowing what their members need—and know what they are looking for—whether its offering personalized services, or coaches who understand their goals and what what they want to achieve. “There is no pressure to lift heavy weights or look like a model, and our team truly cares about each member that goes through our doors. Our facilities—open 24/7, secure and world-class—that’s what inspires people to enter. But it’s our people, our culture, our environment that make members stay.”
“With each membership opening the door to every other Anytime Fitness around the world, the brand has a unique global reciprocity that allows members to work out not just anytime, but anywhere as well,” he adds.
All Anytime Fitness branches have been designed to create a nonintimidating space, and they have separate areas for those serious bodybuilders, those who want six-pack abs and those who are just starting out or just want to exercise and not be too overwhelmed by the crowd.
“Hitting the gym and working out is hard, but the alternative to not being in the gym could be disastrous,” Levine says. “If you don’t want to go to the gym, just move around and get some exercise, but why do it alone when you can join our community of like-minded people who also want to live healthier lives?”
I also found out that they even have an Anytime Fitness App to help you get started, which I’ll review in the next few weeks.
In less than three years since Anytime Fitness opened its first gym at Pioneer Center, Pasig City, in 2014, the chain has branched out beyond Metro Manila to Laguna, Pampanga, Baguio, Cavite, Cebu, and Davao. With strong year-on-year growth of almost 250 percent, Anytime Fitness Philippines joins the ranks of over 3,000 gyms in 25 countries servicing over 2.5 million members annually.
A JAZZ DIGITAL DETOX
NOW, if you are not yet ready to hit the gym and just want a place where you can just chill out, and relax even for a couple of hours, I recently discovered a place right smack in the middle of the city.
I was walking around Shaw, Mandaluyong, when I passed by the Greenfield District and heard some live jazz music. Now, I’m not really into jazz but, when you’ve had a tough week, those melodies can really be calming. Before I knew it, I had found a seat among people who were also having quite a good, quiet time.
After asking around, I discovered that Jazz Fest Thursdays had been a regular event at the Greenfield District Central Park for the past six months already.
According to lawyer Duane A.X. Santos, executive vice president and general manager of Greenfield Development Corp., the Jazz Fest was born from a vision of providing a high-end, almost-weekend respite for those who want a break from the daily grind. “It has become an easy escape from the city’s hustle and bustle, especially with its great food selections and live jazz tunes.
Besides the live jazz music from popular bands Extrapolation and The Brass Munkeys, (Zia Quizon was performing when I was there), Greenfield District Central Park is also bringing in more food stalls like Mab and Goose, Bacon Club, The Meatball Co. and Monster Burgers.
“Our goal at the beginning was to create an event in an elegant setting where friends, families and music lovers can meet to listen to live jazz performances, great food and a place where people can put down their phones and gadgets for a while and enjoy some quiet conversations.”
Greenfield District’s Central Park is a unique open space in the Mandaluyong central business district concrete jungle. Greenfield District is a 15-hectare master-planned city designed with green spaces combined with the convenience of an urban lifestyle.
/ Tech Thoughts: “The difference between technology and slavery is that slaves are fully aware that they are not free.”—Nassim Nicholas Taleb