The One Etiquette Mistake You Didn't Know You Were Making

There are a lot of etiquette rules people know and follow regularly. You know, don't chew with your mouth open, hold the door for people in front of you and never arrive to a party empty-handed. On the flip side, there are a lot of etiquette mistakes you may not know you're making. Knowing how to use your napkin at a fancy restaurant or just how long you have to RSVP to a party invite isn't something we learn in school. And while all those things are rude to some extent, there's one behavior that's all too commonplace. You're guilty of it and we are too! But we all need to stop it.

Etiquette Mistakes You Need to Stop Making by Age 30

And what is that rude habit? Being glued to your cellphone while in the presence of other people.

It's easy to let your phone distract you. We're not judging! There are work emails that need to be answered, texts that you want to respond to and that addictive devil known as your Instagram feed that you just can't help but scroll through endlessly.

This increasingly common behavior is rude on its own, but it's the rudest behavior because it ticks off the boxes of a lot of other common rude behaviors. You have your belongings out on the table, you're interrupting those around you and you're not focusing on the people you are with.

No matter how entertaining that text or funny that tweet, resist the urge to check your phone during a real-life conversation with someone. If you happen to be expecting an important call pertaining to a job or a family matter, let the person know before you start talking and only check when absolutely necessary. Ignoring the people around you in favor of your phone is one rude behavior you should quit, but you may want to ditch these other rude habits, too.