Reconnect movement could have value in the workplace

It’s becoming a familiar sight on college campuses and in high schools alike: students intentionally leaving their phones behind.

By Austin Lewter, Texas Center for Community Journalism

Well, our Texas high schoolers have had some help from the legislature who banned phones for them starting this year.

But the trend of ditching phones — at least temporarily —  is finding support on some college campuses.

A recent article in the New York times entitled, “One Hour. No Phones. A New Way to Socialize for Gen Z” examines this growing trend on campuses.

The grassroots movement among college students, sometimes dubbed the “Reconnect” movement, consists of gatherings without smartphones or limiting social media use so they can engage more fully in face-to-face conversation.

In an age when most of us treat our smartphones like extra limbs, some students find this quiet rebellion is both surprising and refreshing.

And adults could take a lesson.

For years, we’ve watched screens swallow attention spans and social lives. Between TikTok trends, text threads and endless scrolling, we have been living in a digital fog — always connected but rarely present. 

These kids are starting to push back and similar clubs are forming that encourage “screen-free hours” or “digital detox” weekends. 

Even some friend groups are creating informal pacts: phones down during meals, conversations or study sessions. They say the shift isn’t about rejecting technology, it’s about reclaiming balance.

I assigned the Times article last week to my students at the university and asked for feedback. The responses were encouraging — especially from a group of college sophomores.

One student wrote:

“I believe our phones have become an idol in our society. People are turning to their phones more than their peers, friends and even family. We live in a society where we consider people our ‘friends’ if we follow them on Instagram, but we don’t even talk to the person sitting next to us in class.

I am guilty of this myself . . . sometimes it is just easier to pick up my phone instead of talking to the person sitting next to me.

I think that digital detoxes are very beneficial. This semester I have been setting limits on when I can use my phone and I feel much more connected to the world around me. One of the main changes that I have noticed is that conversations are much more meaningful and friendships are strengthened.”

These sentiments align with the anecdotal reporting that surrounds the Reconnect movement.

Students say they’re tired of feeling anxious, distracted or defined by the number of notifications lighting up their screens.

Some admit that putting down the phone feels awkward at first — like losing a safety net — but that discomfort often gives way to relief. 

Another student said they’d be willing to participate. 

“If Tarleton were to host a Reconnect event I would definitely go . . . I used to be able to leave my phone in my room at home for the whole morning with no worry and then I got here and it feels as if something bad is going to happen if I do not have it. I think going to a Reconnect event where we are all feeling the same type of way would be really uplifting and would help me learn how to socialize better... I think it’s really hard to go from being a really loud and talkative person to a quiet, trying not to bother anyone around me person. It would personally be really good for me to attend an unplugged event.”

Another student suggested the teachers and professors should take the lead.

“In order to encourage offline engagement, professors could suggest assignments where students sit in a circle and assess the assignment through verbal interaction. They could also suggest peer leaders and tech free zones,” she wrote.

So, as in most issues of cultural change, it comes back to a matter of example. We should take the lead.

Have you considered how phone use effects your business? Are your employees distracted? Are you?

Yes, our magical little devices give us work power that some never thought possible. They also give us a means of procrastination.

When is the last time you were able to get through writing a full story without checking your phone? Work through that ad sales list without being distracted?

Start small. Next time you sit down to a task, silence your phone and stow it away in your desk door. Try to forget about it for minute— and then another minute. Pretty soon, you will have gone a few hours without checking your Facebook status.

The time saved at the end of the day will amaze you.

Admittedly, I struggle with the time suck my phone enables. It is a challenge for me too.

So maybe the lesson is simple: when we put down our phones, we’re not tuning out the world — we are tuning back in — to family, to friends, to our professional obligations. 

There is much life happening on the other side of the phone screen, and it behooves us to eliminate the digital barriers we place on our fulfillment. I applaud the young people of the “Reconnect” movement for leading the way. They could teach us something about our day-to-day lives.