Life Without Smartphone

We’re living an era where capturing moments and sharing them using our smartphone is more important than actually living these moments with whoever is beside us.

Smartphone is such a necessary part of our daily life; have you wondered how life would be without a smartphone?

When I decided to start this year slowing down with a silent meditation retreat (at Vipassana), I consciously chose to take a break from my phone as well for some time. As my phone was due for a repair (cracked from both sides for long), I thought it’s a perfect opportunity to send it for repair.

I got my phone back just for a day after a 15 days break (at Vipassana), I shared with a few friends that I am back and the very next day it was picked up by Samsung for repair and is still not back (so a month without it now).

I consciously chose to use a simple phone without whatsApp, emails or social media so I could use it only for calls and texts (the real purpose of a cellphone, which we’ve probably forgotten).

I thought it’s going to be difficult as I’m so used to staying in touch with all my clients and friends on whatsApp.

Though to my amazement I’d an interesting experience that I want to share with you.

I feel some of you will surely relate with this. Here’s what I experienced during this digital detox:

Time’d stretched (in Real!):

The first thing I noticed was, my days were longer (I had at least an extra 90-100 min) and so much more peaceful.

Yup! it felt like time had stretched as there were no distractions and apprehensions about checking my whatsApp messages and Facebook feeds again and again.

I sat down to read a book and I got up finishing a lot of it. I sat down to write a blog and I finished it all in one go. I could meditate for a full hour.

I wanted to keep a check on myself, when I go online and for how many minutes. My daughter downloaded an app on my mac, called Selfcontrol which blocked social media on my laptop except the designated time I’d set.

Cool, isn’t it! Totally worked for me.

My kids are happier (and me too :))

I noticed how digital break helped me, to be more present with my kids.

I did not feel the need to check my phone to see if I’d missed a message on whatsApp groups or an important Facebook update, while I was spending time with them.

I was able to listen to their long stories, without taking my eyes off theirs. Even I noticed my kids spending lesser time on phone, without me telling them to do so 🙂

It was a liberating experience:

What I gained by this phone detox –

No apprehension
No comparison with others
No unnecessary internet surfing and information overload
No wastage of time or overwhelm
No anxiety to do things I don’t have time for
More time to spend with myself
Peace from constant bombardment of messages

Phew!! What a liberating experience!

Delegation was not as difficult as I thought:

I was completely cut off from the world for 15 days (while on Vipassana course). Being a professional, I didn’t want a break on my daily updates on FB and Twitter while I was away.

So I delegated my social media updates (for my professional pages) to someone I hired. I wasn’t sure it’s a good idea but I realised it was smoothly done.

Actually, she did a great job posting the content I’d written. Lesson in letting go control and not doing everything on my own.

I could find my way without GPS easily:

There were couple of times when I needed to go to a totally new place and I felt the need for GPS and my smartphone.

Though I simply checked google maps on my laptop before leaving and noted the landmark and route.

Yup! I did reach fine without any hassles and It wasn’t that difficult 🙂

An interesting insight about my friends:

It also gave me an interesting insight about people who cared enough to connect with me when I wasn’t visible on whatsApp and social media and missed me, because they called me and texted me to find out what I was upto.

It doesn’t mean that others who didn’t call me didn’t love and care for me, it just meant that they were too busy in the virtual world to take time out to really connect, as I used to be too.

I didn’t miss out on anything important: 

This was the biggest one.

Even though, it feels like we’re missing out lot of things if we’re not online and connected constantly to the world on our phone, the truth is – we don’t.

I’ll get my phone back in a few more days and will be connected to everyone on whatsApp & social media as before.

But the realisation I got was worth all the effort that I didn’t miss out on anything that really mattered in my life. Rather I found myself, my loved ones and my life in a completely new and fulfilling way.

YOUR TURN NOW!!!

Would you dare to challenge yourself to live without a smartphone for few days, see what happens and how long you’ll last!

I would love to listen to your experience, friends.

Much love & gratitude.