New Year’s Resolution – No Texting in the Bathroom / by Barbara Baker

 

 

Searching through Google sites I learned that 4,000 years ago the Babylonians started their year off by making a resolution. They believed if they honoured their goal, good fortune would follow them throughout the year. A typical resolution back then would be to pay off a debt or return borrowed farm equipment. 

Probably not quite this modern 

Current resolutions typically involve exercise, weight loss and saving money.

Well darn it all. My 2025 resolution doesn’t fit any of those categories. The only reason I even chose to make one this year is because I have a bad habit and I’m ashamed of it.

Back to Google to do research on the success rate of keeping a New Year’s resolution. Brace yourself. It’s dismal. One site states 88% of people fail within the first two weeks. That bit of information was almost enough to stop me from even attempting to start mine, but I love a challenge

My bad habit started innocently enough many months ago when the quiet ping from my iPhone, sitting on the kitchen counter, caught my attention while I was on the way to the bathroom. I grabbed it because it could be an important message. So, I read it while I was on the toilet. It wasn’t important. But I sent a response anyway. How efficient am I?

From then on, I got in the habit of taking my phone to the bathroom. Every time. In fact, I would look for it as if my body functions would not co-operate without its presence.

Not only did I read messages, I checked Facebook, swiped left to Instagram, scrolled news articles and I even read emails. Bathroom breaks took longer but I felt quite clever with my multi-tasking efficiency. Plus, I was keeping on top of all that was happening with friends and strangers, globally and locally.

In the middle of December, I responded, from the throne, to an email. I used full paragraph format, correct salutation and even added a P.S. That’s when I realized I had a problem. I may even have glanced over my shoulder to be sure no one saw where I’d sent the email from. 

If phones were still this big, it would never have become an issue 

Who did I think I was? And when did I think my life was so busy, I needed to respond to friend’s messages and scroll social media in the bathroom. I will admit here and now that I did not ever participate in this activity in a public washroom. Eww, the germs in there. 

 

Hence, my New Year’s Resolution evolved.

I Googled do people text while on the toilet? Surveys say 75% of people admit to texting while on the toilet. Phew. What a relief. The old saying ‘misery loves company’ is applicable here and now.

In order to break my habit, I knew I had to be held accountable.

I told my husband, “My New Year’s resolution is to not use my phone in the bathroom. No more texting or reading emails. Nothing. I’m quitting cold turkey.”

“You text in the bathroom?” he said. “Really?” And he walked away without saying another word. I think I’ve mentioned he’s a wise man.

To ensure success with my resolution, I practiced a few days at the end of December. I was confident it would be super easy to stop. But it wasn’t. I argued with myself to leave my phone in the kitchen. My husband would smile at me when I was successful. Other times, when the power of missing out on something took hold, he looked the other way.

Now, here I am, ten days into the New Year and I can guarantee that no phone use is happening in my bathroom. I have five days left to beat Google’s failure rate and hopefully continue on from there till the end of the year. Yes, I’ll admit I have been tempted but so far I haven’t caved. I’ve also noticed the baseboards in my bathroom could use a paint touch up and the ceramic tile floor needs buffing. I'll add those tasks to my things to do list.

Regardless, whether you made a resolution, I wish all the best for 2025 and may the year be kind to everyone. 

Baker, Barbara - BWL Publishing Inc. (bookswelove.net)

bbaker.write@gmail.com