This past week I have been making a point to completely turn off my phone and computer whenever I step away from them, rather then just putting them to sleep. This simple change in my behavior has had a lot of surprising consequences. While I could usually turn the computer on and walk away or read while it loaded, I found myself incredibly put out by the 45 seconds that my phone took to turn on. I started to make choices about what I would turn the phone on for and what I would just do without. A lot of silly questions that I normally would have googled went unanswered. I could no longer quickly glance at the time and weather, and once this week I showed up late and rain soaked to an event. I would turn the phone on to take photos of specific occasions, but little things noticed on walks were left undocumented. I would have to turn my phone off while I was waiting for a text, then make a conscious decision to turn the phone on again later to see if I had gotten a response. This trimming of moments lost to constant phone checks left me a lot more present in the current task. I found I was a better reader, and I was more present in conversations with my friends. The times I was most put out by the inconvenience of a phone that wasn't readily accessible were those brief moments I was left to myself in a public place. For example, that dreaded moment when you are left alone in a bar because your friend has gone to use the restroom. These moments weren't long enough to be worth turning the phone all the way on and off again, but without this social crutch I was left awkwardly and intently staring at posters while I waited. Despite the discomfort, I found this experiment to be incredibly valuable. I plan on continuing to set aside time in my day where my devices are completely off and I am more focused on the present.
All that being said, I do have to admit to a little bit of cheating. I carried a few objects with me to make up for the loss of the conveniences my phone provided. After the first time I showed up late to something I started wearing a watch again, and I tended to bring a raincoat with me everywhere just in case. For those horrible moments I was left alone in a public space I carried a book, because god forbid I be forced to make small talk with strangers. I also carried a cheap little digital camera to capture those brief moments that caught my eye while traveling around the city. For all my unanswered questions, I carried a notepad so I could look them up the next time my phone was on. With the extra weight of these items in my purse I was left wondering at all of the things an iPhone is to us. I'm carrying all these extra things just because my phone is not immediately available. Imagine how much more I'd have to carry if I had lost my phone entirely! We put so much into these fragile pocket-sized devices. The amount I rely on my phone scares me a little bit. As I move forward, I plan on turning my phone off more often, and for longer periods of time. Just to reassure myself that I am capable of surviving without my digital safety blanket.
The things I carried.
I hope you can carry your experience further and take time-out when you need it.
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