Are we too connected?

#64 - Should you go one day without your phone to see how it feels?

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me lay an invincible summer.”
—Albert Camus

Recently I was feeling smothered by my phone.

This bloomed a thought. "Why don't you just turn your phone off for a day. You could use a break from constant connection."

And for two weeks after the first appearance of that thought, what did I do? I kept my phone on, right there in my pocket, like always.

And each day as it hummed from my hip, I imagined having the courage to hold the power button down for a few seconds, to find sweet relief.

So for two weeks, the pressure built a little bit each day, and the feeling calling me to disconnect loomed. And finally, last Sunday, it was lights out for the old pocket portal.

What happened during "Sacred Sunday"?

Morning:

• Turned my phone off and made a post on Facebook. I wanted to let people know they wouldn't get text responses.

  • Found myself wishing I didn't feel the need to post about it.

• Observed myself "bargaining" to turn the phone back on when I needed a timer. But I used my computer instead.

  • Bargaining thought: “I could just put it in do not disturb mode”.

• Felt the impulse to check social media apps during the first hour.

  • Impulse felt normal.

• Recorded a podcast with Joanna of Bring Harmony Home. I felt laser focused, and more immersed in our conversation than ever before.

• Left phone in the Studio and went downstairs for the rest of the day.

Afternoon:

• Went for a walk in the Sun with the dog. Left the phone at home, and felt more in the moment as we walked through town.

  • Knowing the phone wasn’t in my pocket removed the constant subconscious impulses to check it.

• The birds were singing, and I was elated to walk on solid ground again after 5 months of ice melted last week.

• Ran to the grocery store and had no issue recalling what I needed, without a digital list.

• Returned home and started making Chicken Curry.

  • Brought my mirrorless camera into the kitchen to practice food photography while cooking.

• Turned up the music in the kitchen and danced while building the curry in steps.

• Only had one impulse to look at social media, but by this point it was late afternoon, and the thought made me laugh when observed.

  • "Why would I want to do that?", I giggled.

  • “I wonder if anyone is wondering where I am right now?”

Evening:

• Finished my 5 hour cooking adventure and tasted the beauty of the curry. It was the right consistency with well balanced flavor. And I didn’t care to tell anyone about it.

• Danced to a couple more songs in the kitchen while digesting. Made peppermint tea.

• Returned to my studio and looked at the sleeping phone on the desk. “I’m not looking forward to turning you back on”, I told it.

• Clicked on an episode of "Nathan for You", and promptly fell asleep on the floor during the opening credits.

The Next Morning

Waking up on Monday, I felt refreshed and collected. It was as if a fog had lifted from my vision, and I could see clearly again.

“I took one day off from looking at my phone and I feel this good? Wow”, I mumbled to myself. “I guess the world didn’t end either…”

Phone in hand, I felt anxious turning it on. And it creaked back to life, gasping for air as it powered up. Squeaking timidly, it pouted, "cough, cough, where have you been? We’ve been away from each other for what felt like ten thousand years..."

A flurry of messages whirred, as did a series of responses. Though the phone had been off temporarily, it never stopped working.

I needed to remind myself it is OK to take a day for me every once in a while. And I’ll tell you what, my friend… I won’t go so long before the next one.

Back next week,