Stop putting your phone screen-side up on the table - why you'll be glad you did

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A friend of mine once told me, "I always keep my phone on silent mode… which doesn't matter because I compulsively look at it every three minutes anyway."

He's not the only one. From becoming a text addict to having full-blown smartphone dependency, the urge to look at and interact with our "flat things" has been deeply ingrained into our collective behavior for some time now.

Also: How I'm bringing back physical media - and the 5 home theater gadgets helping me do it

Monitoring your phone to check whenever it lights up seems innocent enough -- a minor habit, utterly devoid of consequence. But is this seemingly harmless gesture actually working against you, subtly undermining your privacy, focus, and even your phone's longevity?

Placing your phone face down is a small change that can ...