These days just about everyone has a smartphone – well, everybody but billionaire Warren Buffett. I digress. Whether you’re an iPhone user or an Android aficionado, just about everything is accessible from your device.
Your email, social media, and the internet in general – it’s all right there in the palm of your hand. It’s also constantly sending you notifications, demanding your attention, and likely conditioning how you think. It may even contribute to mental health issues, as numerous studies suggest it can.
Being connected 24/7 can become overwhelming. And, whether we realize it or not, it can take over our lives. That’s why sometimes we simply need to hit reset – not on our devices, however, but on our lifestyle.
Going without your smartphone for a week isn’t easy, but it might be the digital detox you need. Of course, jumping in head first is a recipe for disaster. Obviously, you can’t just completely go MIA.
First, try a week of limited notifications. Only check your phone sporadically for important emails and texts. Let your close friends, colleagues, and acquaintances know that you may be slow to respond.
Next, get rid of your social media apps. Try going a week without things like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Last, when – and if – you can schedule a week of vacation time, that’s when you can really go without. Be sure to set up auto-responders so that people know you’re okay when you aren’t responsive.
Trust us, this is going to be difficult. Not only do you need to plan ahead, but just the act of going without can be incredibly jarring. We recommend using an old phone (like Warren Buffett’s Samsung SCH-U320) as a backup. That way you’ll still be able to reach people in an emergency, and people can reach you as well.
It may seem novel to completely ditch all technology, but payphones aren’t exactly common anymore, and neither are landlines. Be prepared to look up directions in advance and write them down or print them out. As for music, you might even have to listen to the radio.
Without the constant stream of connectivity, it’s like traveling back to a simpler time. We can again learn to enjoy simple pleasures, arts and crafts, meditating, reading, and other joys. Life suddenly seems less demanding of our time.
Soon, it’s like you begin to realize what self-care really is and how much you’ve been neglecting yourself. There’s also a good chance you’ll choose to redefine your relationship with your smartphone once you get it back.
While it may be difficult to make time for an experiment like this, it’s often incredibly worth it. If nothing else, you should try to do it for your health.
