Put Away Your Phone

With the rise of so-called "unplugged parties," in which people are asked to leave cell phones at the door, and the budding awareness of just how much time we spend in front of screens, asking people to forfeit using their precious devices for a few hours may not be such a crazy idea after all. This might be hard for some people to process but there are great ways to go about having one of these parties. First of all, make sure that the people know that it is an unplugged event. This will let them plan accordingly to take care of all those mobile applications, calls and emails. Since our phones do so many things, it's best to be absolutely clear about what your event's device policy is. Make sure to let guests know if devices are banned outright or if it's just a matter of silencing cell phones. Also let the people know what your policy is about taking pictures. No matter what you do, no matter how clearly and politely you communicate your wishes, someone will have a plus-one you specifically told them not to bring. But don't chastise plugged-in guests in front of the party -- that's bad manners, too.