I went phoneless for A MONTH and here’s what happened…
Yes, that’s right… I went phoneless for A MONTH.
Honestly, it wasn’t by choice. In fact, it was forced upon me. Basically, my phone went black and there was no recovering it.
But, the funny thing is…
Just days before, I had considered deleting everything off my phone to prevent any type of distraction. I thought it would allow me to fully lock in. The only thing I considered keeping was my work stuff.
Well fast forward to about 3 days later after that thought crosses my mind…
I was walking out the door to start my day (and also start my navigation) when I noticed my phone screen was completely black and wouldn’t turn on. I figured it eventually would be fine and went on with my day.
Boy, was I wrong. The next day… my phone screen? Still black. So, after studying a map (for a very long time) of a city I wasn’t too familiar with, I headed to the repair shop with my fingers crossed that I would not get lost.
Luckily, I made it. Unluckily, the repair shop had to wait for a machine to come in to fully check my phone because where I was staying is not a country with the luxury of an Apple store on every corner. Or even in the country…
Well the machine wouldn’t come in for another 2 days which meant no phone for me.
I realized that just days prior I had considered completely emptying my phone of anything that could be a distraction. And now here I was… with no other choice. It’s as though the universe was telling me “Yes, that’s right. Lock in.” So I fully embraced the phoneless lifestyle. In fact, I kind of liked it.
When I got home from the repair shop the first day, I was eager to see what my friends were at least doing or posting. I tried to login to my personal Instagram on my laptop. And guess what? Instagram sent a PIN to my phone to verify it was me logging in. The same phone that was at the repair shop and was unable to be turned on.
So that meant no seeing what my friends were doing AKA no distractions.
I then tried to log in to my business Instagram, and I was immediately let in… with no PIN required and no verification code sent to my phone.
Once again, it was as though the universe was telling me “Work on your business and stop avoiding it!” And then I realized that what had crossed my mind just a couple of days prior was happening right then. It was as if I’d been given that thought for a reason and when I didn’t act on it, the universe forced it upon me.
So I fully embraced it for the next few days. Those few days quickly turned into a month because the repair never happened. Safe to say, my brain was completely rewired. Here’s what happened.
Not going to lie… Initially I felt… almost… naked without my phone.
But then, some amazing things came out of it.
1. I Started Seeing Signs Everywhere
First of all, I saw so many angel numbers. In fact, I’m seeing 111 right now as I write this. Seriously, there were so many that it was hard to turn my head without seeing one. For those who don’t know what angel numbers are, they’re numbers that our guardian angels send to remind us we’re always guided and never alone, and each number can have its own specific meaning.
2. I Learned to Trust My Intuition Again
Second of all, I followed my intuition… and it was right. I mean, I had to. Without a phone to navigate me in a city I wasn’t familiar with (when I usually rely on navigation to get around), the only guidance I had was my inner compass, my intuition. I was surprised to find that I got everywhere I needed to go without making a single wrong turn. I even found myself in areas I normally wouldn’t go to if I had reliable internet access for navigation, and in parts of the city I’d never been to before. I was suddenly able to navigate flawlessly by listening to the messages coming from within. That ease and flow reminded me that our intuition really is always right…something I’d been slightly disconnected from recently as I’d been more in my physical body. Maybe going without a phone could solve our society's lack of navigation skills… or maybe that's just a me problem.
3. I Realized How Addicted I Was to My Phone
Another thing I realized was how often I checked my phone. There were times at the gym, between sets, when I’d reach for my messages, only to remember I didn’t even have a phone. It made me realize how attached we are, and how mindlessly we reach for it without noticing. Have you ever picked up your phone to check the time, put it back down, and then realized you still don’t know what time it is because you got distracted by something on the screen?
4. I Started Living by My Body Instead of the Clock
On top of that, I went a month without knowing what time it was. Most days, I didn’t set an alarm. I woke up when I felt rested, went to bed when I was tired, ate when I was hungry, and worked out when I felt squirmy or restless.
5. My Workouts Became Meditation
My workouts were suddenly fueled by a desire to move and feel the work in my body, rather than by a song or a playlist. The gym became a sanctuary where I did my deepest thinking, and creative ideas flowed in. I was no longer distracted or tuning out the world. I was present in what was happening around me, and I let the movement bring creativity into my body.
6. I Became Present Again
I was present… not just in the gym, but every day and everywhere. Truly present. I found myself sitting and noticing things I hadn’t before. My desire to converse increased tremendously, and so did my curiosity about conversations.
I rediscovered things I’d forgotten and hadn’t done since I was a kid, like sitting in a grassy pasture making a flower crown. Or simply standing there, looking at the sky and everything in it, noticing the clouds move and the colors shift in front of me.
7. I Realized How Dependent We've Become on Our Phones
I realized how dependent we are on our phones. There were times when I needed to access my bank account but couldn’t, because it required signing in through an app on my phone or sending a verification code to my phone (which, of course, I didn’t have access to).
8. My Attention Span Came Back
I was suddenly able to watch long videos or even entire movies without feeling distracted or like I needed to multitask. Instead of reaching for my phone or looking for something else to do while a video played in the background, I could simply sit, watch, and be fully present without feeling bored. I also noticed my ability to concentrate improved significantly. Whether I was working or studying, I could stay focused for longer periods of time and absorb more information in less time. It felt like my brain finally had the space to process what was in front of it instead of constantly searching for the next source of stimulation.
9. I Finally Heard My Own Thoughts
I was able to listen to MY thoughts - not those created by social media, podcasts, songs, etc. I learned more about myself, my beliefs, my values because I wasn’t constantly distracted from them or influenced by external factors. Typically when we have a long commute or we go on a walk, we entertain ourselves with media. Having no phone meant my 15 mile bike rides were entertained by own thinking and people watching and just enjoying nature around me which came with a certain peace and quietness…. and lots of time to think through and solve my problems… and connect with God.
And when I got my phone back, the usual phone habits… disappeared. In fact, I was almost repelled my them. There was one day I was waiting in the doctor's waiting room. We were there for hours, and we were bored. So I reached for my phone to entertain myself and immediately felt a wave of anxiety and repulsion wash over me, leading me to put my phone away and just continue sitting there, staring at the wall instead. The thought of even having TikTok on my phone disgusted me, and I couldn't fathom going back to scrolling through short-form content, so I immediately deleted the app as soon as I had access to my phone. I truly didn't want to go back to feeling on edge, constantly checking my phone, and being distracted from myself the way I had been before losing access to it for a month, so I changed my habits completely. I always made it a priority to stop using my phone before going to bed and not check it immediately upon waking up, but now I've made it a priority to only have designated times when I have my phone in hand to check it, rather than having access to it all day. My notifications, especially from social media, are always off. If I want to check social media, I do it intentionally on my laptop. And my desire to post my personal life has decreased tremendously.
I'm not sure how long these habits will last, but right now, I'm happy with the changes I've made, and they've opened my eyes to how dependent we've become on our phones and how restless they can make us.