I feel that, that's one thing I try to tell myself when around friends is to be in the moment with them and engage. but as an introvert I do also have moments where I need to go on my phone and disengage for a small window to recharge my social battery
I'm a strange mix of introvert and extrovert, but I use my phone when my introvert side asserts itself and makes me want to flee screaming. I hadn't thought of it in the sense of recharging my social battery. My take was always "distract myself from the social awkwardness," but I think you're right.
It absolutely can be a recharge. For me, like when I DM D&D, at the end of a session I can often hard crash. I detach from everything and go onto my phone. Sometimes the ambient noises around of TV or people's chatter may be too much so going on the phone allows me to gather myself and regain energy
I used to have to recharge more when I wasn't working from home. Work days would drain me completely...not even because I was having to chat with people with being socially switched on all the time in case someone DID want to chat. I'd get home and basically lock myself in my bedroom to charge.
I feel that. I think about those people that get off work and go directly to a bar, or some event, or just do more things while out..m and here I'm like "my work day is over. I don't wanna do anything except eat, play games, and/or cuddle" lol
Don't get me wrong, I'm also massively introverted. But generally I find if the thing I'm watching or the thing I'm doing with people is engaging, I don't even think about my phone. Grabbing my phone is usually a bad sign that whatever i'm doing isn't engaging me much.
Oh I totally get you. It's one of those things where everyone has their own way of interacting as well as their own way to recharge should they need it. ^_^