Being on the phone all the time is so overrated.
Okay, okay… I might be over exaggerating just a bit, but that’s because I was able to go without my phone and not die. I mean c’mon, for us millenial babes who are practically stitched to our phones — that is a major accomplishment.
The idea to test this out all started when I watched this piece on Good Morning America a few months back. The story alleged that it is impossible for millennials (like myself) to leave their phones alone… even for a second. After fighting those statements for days (probably because I was in major denial), I took a second to actually consider the validity of the report.
Were my phone and I really that attached at the hip?
The answer was easy: WE MOST DEFINITELY WERE.
If we’re being honest:
I bring my phone into the bathroom with me.
My phone goes to bed with me.
It’s the first thing I reach for when I wake in the morning.
When facilities state”No Phones Allowed” I find a way to make mine the exception with or without approval.
I text and call on my phone.
My blog and everything that comes with it is practically run on my phone… so you could see how not having it would be kind of impossible lol.
Or so I thought.
Nevertheless, after breaking down the obsession my phone and I had with each other.. Or rather the obsession I had with my phone, I realized it was time to take a step back. Even if that meant for 24 hrs only. Which might I add is a very long time to go without a phone.
I mean you see the breakdown from above, AND y’all know the struggle. To say this challenge wasn’t diiiiificult would be a BOLD face lie.
SO the whole 24hrs without my phone breakdown.
Before starting, I let my parents know that I would be off the planet for awhile, so they wouldn’t start freaking out. OR think I had been kidnapped by a sociopath, ya know?
Parents, gotta love ’em.
Anyway.
The first few hours: Omg this was the hardest part of the day. I literally woke up reaching for my phone and went into a state of mini panic. I had totally forgotten that I put my phone away in the back of my closet the night before. I was halfway through tearing my bed apart when it hit me. To say I was pissed because I now had to make my bed since I had forgotten about my genius plan the night before. Major understatement. I found that because I had no phone keeping me in the loop of major happenings around the world, I did something crazy. I watched the local news for the first time in foreeeeeever. To be honest, I learned more about my city in that hour than I would ever learned by looking at my phone. I did long for my phone like a feen though, not going to lie. BUT, I kept trying to remember this little experiment was for the greater good.
Midway through the day: I grew pretty accustomed rather quickly that I had no phone. I studied harder, I wrote more blog posts on the blog (oh yeah), and had more positive moments to recenter. I worked out with no music, besides the filler tunes playing faintly inside of the gym. & can I just say? That was probably the best workout I’ve ever had. I fast walked one mile and ran the other half, I did the elliptical, lifted weights, and stretched till my limbs were wobbly with glee. My body was doing a praise dance when it was all over. It was amazing. In retrospect, my gym experience may have been just that because I had nothing to rush to. I had nothing begging for my attention or shifting my focus. I was there and had a purpose to fulfill, so I DID. I also was able to hammer out three new poetry pieces in ONE DAY. Listen y’all, when I get those poetry pieces on the blog out to y’all — know this. To write one takes me a day or two, so to write three in one day… mind blowing.
The last few hours: I was straight chillin’ for the better half of the night. I kept on keeping on without my phone. I sent out emails, using my laptop more than ever without it being directly related to school or blog stuff. I watched TV, actually able to focus on the shows at hand. As opposed to half ass watching while browsing through Instagram like many of us are guilty of. I will say that at this point I did start to wonder if I would come back to loads of messages and calls.
Had the world lost its footing because I was not apart of the interactive aspect of it for going on, 19 HOURS.
Even typing that seems wild.
By hour 22, I was fast asleep. I’d like to think it had a great deal to do with having nothing to distract me or keep me up at night. Another contributing factor may have been that I got all that I needed to get done earlier in the day (with having no phone and all).
*Shrugs*
My takeaways?
Having a phone attached to your hip isn’t everything. In the 24 hours that I didn’t have a phone, I found myself feeling the most focused than I have in quite awhile. I got so much done and scored major adulting points. My parents would be so proud! I proved GMA wrong and found that it is definitely possible for millenials to go without a phone… if only we try.
Plus, due to the wonderful experience I had a made a vow to myself. Once a month I would spend 24 hours without a phone in attempt to refocus and center myself. SO if I disappear on social media, I’ll be back soon enough.
To 24 hours of social silence,
Thelms
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