7 Everyday Skills That Seemed To Disappear Once Smartphones Took Over
Everett Collection | ShutterstockIt's hard to imagine a world without smartphones. But just as quietly as those pocket computers took over our lives, we slowly adapted, and without even realizing it, the critical life skills we used every day have virtually gone extinct.
With all the new apps and gadgets that come with them, we've begun to rely entirely on our devices rather than on our knowledge or ability. But most of these now-antiquated skills are still good to have in your wheelhouse, particularly for that dreaded moment when your smartphone dies, and you feel like you're stranded.
These everyday skills have disappeared thanks to smartphones:
1. Mental math
When you're in the grocery store and need to calculate how much money you'd save in a sale, you immediately go to your calculator app. The problem with that is that relying on your phone for basic math can actually hurt your ability to do it in your head.
But before smartphones, you would've used mental math. We're in math classes of varying levels for so much of our schooling, and yet, apart from those in a math-dominated field, none of us seem to apply that education in real life.
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Using mental math rather than the most convenient option is better for your brain, too. By working your brain regularly with arithmetic, you'll improve your concentration and further your problem-solving skills. In a world that's always rushing, sometimes it's better to take the more difficult, but ultimately beneficial, route than the fastest one. Seriously, everyone should be able to calculate a tip or make change without a phone.
2. Writing in cursive
A skill that was a major stressor for children in years past is no longer required to teach in schools. Cursive seems to be a lost art, limited to letters from grandmothers and signing your name after a purchase.
Overall, handwriting has not taken the same precedence it used to. However, prioritizing this skill in schools is critical. A study conducted by researchers Karin H. James and Laura Engelhardt found that a child's neural circuitry lights up when engaging in letter printing. This pattern did not appear when tracing or typing the same letters.
Handwriting helps stimulate the brain and increases comprehension skills, and learning cursive just furthers this process. It helps us become uniquely identifiable and even boosts grammar skills.
3. Phone call etiquette
Now that texting has taken over, making a phone call when you want to talk to your friend is a rare act. Sure, there was texting when cell phones were in their infancy. If you're a millennial, you're probably well-accustomed to the flip phone's number pad, and if someone handed it to you now, muscle memory would kick in.
But texting is so convenient, and it's created a craze that makes people prefer typing over verbal communication. With features like speech-to-text and emojis, text messaging is now one of the top forms of communication within the U.S., with 92% of people using it.
This has created a barrier for individuals when they do need to interact over the phone. Tasks that used to seem ordinary, like calling a restaurant for a reservation or making a doctor's appointment, now cause anxiety.
4. Memorizing phone numbers
Prior to smartphones, if you wanted to call someone but didn't have access to your address book, you relied on your memory. People, particularly teenagers, talked to their friends nonstop and had countless numbers memorized. Seriously, ask someone born in the 1900s, and they can probably still tell you their best friend from 5th grade's home number.
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The smartphone can now save contacts across a multitude of apps, rendering the idea of memorizing phone numbers unimportant. It may be helpful in an emergency, but technology seems to surround us constantly, so it's difficult to escape the protection of the Cloud.
5. Reading maps
You definitely had maps in the glove box of your car if you were driving in the '90s, or you'd taken the same routes so many times that you knew the area like the back of your hand. We didn't just know things by association; we were also familiar with the street names that guided us to the right places.
Now, every smartphone comes with GPS that can locate the fastest route within minutes. This is a helpful tool that has cut down some of our commutes, especially when there's unexpected traffic or detours. However, it's made us rely on technology for things we used to know how to do on our own.
When our iPhones die, we panic that we'll get lost. But that simply isn't true. You know the way around, but have begun to second-guess yourself without the support of a GPS system.
6. Writing a check
This used to be a skill that everyone knew, because it wasn't an option not to. Things like writing in cursive or memorizing a phone number were impressive skills, but weren't exactly necessary. Writing a check was how bills were paid.
Some people do still prefer this method of payment, but this group is largely disproportionate to the number of people who transfer money virtually. Apps like Venmo or Zelle are used to pay back individuals when you hold an IOU, and even banks have mobile apps for moving money.
It's no wonder that this method is becoming obsolete, especially when online banking is much faster. It lacks the speed and privacy of online bill pay.
7. Communicating with strangers
Now that everyone has their face stuck in a smartphone and messaging is the new norm, small talk has become a hassle, and manners have gone with it. The respect that should be given to strangers has gone out the window.
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While texting or receiving a like from a stranger online may provide instant gratification, communicating face-to-face improves our overall mental well-being. Rather than letting the fear of being seen as awkward cause anxiety, pushing outside of our comfort zones will create a more connected, well-rounded life.
Gabrielle Mattes is a writer working towards a Creative Writing degree. Her focus is lifestyle, wellness, human interest, and relationships.
