If you’re like most Millennials (the generation born between 1980-2000), you probably use your cell phone for more that just making and receiving calls. Texting, sending emails, taking pictures, browsing the web, and listening to music are just a few of the other things your phone might come in handy for. Like other forms of technology, the numerous things your cell phone allows you to do can also lead to problems. Here are the 10 biggest mistakes you can make- and how to avoid them.
1. Not Locking Your Phone – Most cell phones, especially smartphones, allow you set a simple lock or a password to lock your phone’s screen. If you fail to do so, you could accidentally pocket dial someone or your phone (along with all of your critical information) could get in the wrong hands. Solution: Go to your settings, and set a password for your screen.
2. Failing to Doublecheck the Text Recipient – Have you ever sent a text message to the wrong person, or received a text message that was not meant for you? This could be avoided by simply checking the name of the recipient before you press “send” next time.
3. Drunk Dialing or Texting– You wake up Saturday morning to discover that you called or texted your ex while you were intoxicated, and now you’re mortified. If you think you may be guilty of drunk dialing or texting, ask one of your friends to hold your iPhone the next time you go out and party.
4. Sending and/or Not Deleting Inappropriate Pictures– It’s pretty self-explanatory what could happen if you forget to delete a nude or inappropriate picture of yourself or send it to the someone who ends up disliking you later on down the road. Prevent the worst from happening by keeping your phone’s image library rated PG.
5. Sending Anything Inappropriate on your Work Blackberry– If you have a phone that is property of your company, avoid being reprimanded or even worse, fired, by making sure you don’t send anything NSFW. Instead, save the juicy stuff for your personal cell phone.
6. Answering Private or Unknown Calls– If your caller ID reads “PRIVATE” or “UNKNOWN,” chances are pretty high that you don’t care to speak to the person on the other end of the line. If he or she really needs to get in touch with you, he or she will likely call from a phone that actually displays the number, or leave a message. If in doubt, just don’t answer.
7. Giving Your Ex Your New Mobile Number– If you changed your number last year to avoid your ex, it probably isn’t too smart of an idea to give out your new number now that you’re on “good” terms with one another. Eventually, you’ll remember why you didn’t want him or her to have your number in the first place, and be forced to change it again.
8. Texting while Driving – Although you shouldn’t even be talking while driving, it’s absolutely imperative to refrain from texting while sitting behind the wheel. Taking your eyes away from the road for a few seconds can be extremely dangerous, and isn’t worth sending a 140-character message to your BFF.
9. Saving Someone’s Contact Name Under an Alias– If you refer to him as “Mr. Possessive” or have been known to call her “Crazy Chick” on numerous occasions, don’t actually save their number under that title. It’ll keep you out of a sticky situation if “Crazy Chick” happens to come across her number in your phoneâ¦which brings us to our next- and worst mistake.
10. Leaving Your Phone Lying Around– If you don’t make mistake #1, this shouldn’t apply to you. However, if you’ve ever found out that someone looked through your phone without your permission, read on. Regardless of whether you have something to hide or not, this is the ultimate invasion of privacy. Avoid it by resisting the temptation of others, and keep your phone on you at most, if not all, times.
—— By: Crystal Tate
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