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How many hours a day do you spend in front of a screen?

By Amanda Christiansen

Real Estate Broker/Owner with Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843

March 23, 2014 03:39 AM

I just got a phone call from my brother. We were chatting about life and catching up a bit. At one point I drifted off and heard him say "Dude. Hello? Where did you go??"

I chuckled and took a step back.

ipad While I was talking to him on the phone, I had basketball on in the background on my ipad, and I was on the computer skimming through a blog on Active Rain.

I admitted what I was doing and we both laughed.

Then we both realized how sad it really was. Not the fact that I wasn't paying 100% attention to our conversation, but that I had at least two screens on.

From that it went to a conversation about how much time we spend in front of a screen.

Texting on the iphone/smart phone. Hourly.

Doing things on the ipad/tablet. Again, hourly.

In front of the laptop/computer. Probably 4-6 hours a day. True story.

Of course we spend a lot of time showing homes, closing deals, listing homes, working out, outside, walking the dogs, networking, etc.

But have you ever taken a step back and counted how many hours a day you're spending in front of some sort of screen?

I did today and it's going to change.

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Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

I'm sorry, but I have no idea what I just read. I was texting, looking up an MLS, and listening to "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" on NPR.

I love it when someone calls and I say "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not logged in right now!"

Mar 23, 2014 06:25 AM

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

It's a lot. I'd say literally 8 hours some days. BUT I'm getting buyer and seller leads for my entire office of 10. I spend way more time getting people to sign on the site and call and assigning leads to my agents than I do with actual clients at this point. And my phone... like you I check hourly from 7 am until generally midnight.

Mar 23, 2014 06:29 AM

Stacey Williams

Alpharetta, GA

Experienced Metro Atlanta Real Estate Agent

When I started I never imagined this process would become computer laden. You better be good with a computers and gadgets these days.

Mar 23, 2014 06:44 AM

Amanda Christiansen

Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN

Christiansen Group Realty

Fred: I think there's a TV show about that. Scary!

Debbie: Is THAT where my eye wrinkles are coming from?

Kat: "Be here now" sounds like a really good idea. I obviously need to work on that.

Mar 23, 2014 07:02 AM

Amanda Christiansen

Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN

Christiansen Group Realty

Lenn: I need to work on disconnecting when I leave home. I'm always checking my iphone.

Carla: Ha ha! You always make me smile.

Tammy: That's a LOT of time in front of a screen, but you do what you have to for your successful company!

Stacey: I agree. I can't imagine doing this job without technology.

Mar 23, 2014 07:05 AM

Tammie White, Broker

Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN

Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Jared, today I talked with a person about becoming an agent. She was wondering how much it would cost her to get started in the business. I asked if she had a good computer and explained she'd spend more time in front of a computer than showing houses.

Mar 23, 2014 09:36 AM

Chris Ann Cleland

Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA

Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

It is truly amazing how much time we do spend in front of our electronic devices and computers. When I am done working, I leave the cell phone on the desk, turn off the computer and go to do something else.

Mar 23, 2014 09:40 AM

Graziella Bruner

NCS Premier Real Estate - Detroit, MI

Associate Broker - Serving Wayne & Oakland County

It amazes me as well just how many hours we do spend on our phone, Ipad, laptop, etc.

My husband and I attended a dinner meeting for the Mechanical Contractors Association in which he's on the board and at our table, one gentleman asked another about one of the college basketball games and he said, Let me check, turned on the game on his phone and left it up and going during the whole dinner meeting! so these two men are watching the game while having dinner at our table of 8 people. Go figure!

Mar 23, 2014 09:46 AM

Tom White

Franklin Homes Realty LLC (615) 495-0752 or www.FranklinHomesRealty.com - Franklin, TN

Franklin Homes Realty LLC, Franklin TN

Jared, as I'm typing this I'm watching the Tennessee v. Mercer game. Is it wrong?? Yep, a lot of time in front of the screens!

Mar 23, 2014 09:50 AM

Jeff Fisher

PureWest Real Estate - Whitefish, MT

PUREWEST REAL ESTATE/Christies

I pick up my iPhone when I first wake up, just like I used to reach for the news paper. Sadly it rarely gets put down like the paper did.

Mar 23, 2014 10:15 AM

Joni Bailey

101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX

Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

Not nearly as much as I used to and I am finding it quite refreshing! :)

Mar 23, 2014 02:21 PM

Jane Chaulklin-Schott

TEAMCONNECT REALTY - (407) 394-9766 - Orlando, FL

TeamConnect Luxury Homes - Orlando, Florida, 32836

Jared, I realize it and know I am guilty. Wish I could stop and have shortened the techie hours,. However, I had cable on this evening and was viewing 3 different TV movies simultaneously. As you probably know, though I surely did miss important parts of each movie, I still basically got the main parts and the endings.

Mar 23, 2014 04:09 PM

Amanda S. Davidson

Amanda Davidson Real Estate Group Brokered By Real - Alexandria, VA

Alexandria Virginia Homes For Sale

Jared, far too many on this end. I just had a conversation with my Grandmother about the need to make a big effort to disconnect a little more. I hear the chime on my phone and immediately feel pressure to check it. Not good!

Mar 23, 2014 10:58 PM

Amanda Christiansen

Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN

Christiansen Group Realty

I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone on this subject. I think.

Mar 24, 2014 12:54 AM

Joe Petrowsky

Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT

Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning. There are days that I spend too many hours in front of a computer, when I become aware of it, as a problem, I will stop and focus on non-computer related work. Nice job with your post.

Make it a great week!

Mar 24, 2014 01:13 AM

Chandler Real Estate Liz Harris, MBA

Liz Harris Realty - Chandler, AZ

#ChandlerRealEstateAgent

Which screen. They come in all shapes and sizes it seems!:-)

Mar 24, 2014 04:10 AM

Liz and Bill Spear

Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH

Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Jared, I think it would be easier for me to figure out how many hours a day I'm NOT in front of a screen of some sort.

Mar 24, 2014 04:18 AM

Wayne Zuhl

Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ

The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Jared,

Some days I know it's WAY too many. Sometimes you just need to step away and get some fresh air.

Mar 24, 2014 05:43 AM

Dee Toohey

Innovative Realty Solutions Group - Longwood, FL

Broker, ABR, AHWD, CIPS, FMS, ePro

Today, I have been in front of my computer way too long but I am getting a lot done!

Mar 24, 2014 07:11 AM

Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573

MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME

Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

As the shift to local and your real estate buyer poking his head in your agency door to find out information to every, let it all hang out online, screens are in our face. We stock the shelves fully on lots of platforms, whether listings, blog posts, videos, whatever. So the information highway means the screen is our windshield. To see what we are doing for surgery, implants, uploading. When another platform, niche comes along you have to ask yourself more screen time? Worth it, the ROI or what do I pull back on to have redirected time and focus? Good post, observation to make you think about what your day looks like from outer space.

Mar 25, 2014 11:18 PM