What Happens When You Ditch Your Phone for a Day?

Vinia Majaba
2 min readApr 19, 2023
Photo by Rodion Kutsaiev on Unsplash

Have you ever felt like your phone is an extension of your body, and you can’t seem to detach yourself from it even for a minute? I know I have. But recently, I took on a challenge to assess my willpower: I went without my mobile phone for a day without scrolling, swiping, or tapping. What made me do it? Let me explain.

One day, while I was on the train to work, I saw everyone staring at their phone screens (a typical scene nowadays). It got me thinking — what if we all just put our phones away? I haven’t seen a train carriage full of people without looking at their phones for a long time and simply enjoying the moment. So, I decided to disconnect from technology for an entire day and take on this exciting adventure.

The first few hours were a real struggle. My fingers itched to reach for my phone, and I couldn’t shake off the worry that I might miss an important call or message. But then I reminded myself I had my husband as my emergency contact, so I pushed through.

As the day wore on, I realised how much I relied on my phone — checking it had become second nature, like a reflex! However, without the constant interruptions from notifications, I could focus on the present moment and be more mindful. It was a liberating feeling! I experienced a sense of freedom I hadn’t felt in a long time.

This experience taught me we don’t have to be attached to our devices. We have the power to take control and disconnect when we need to. It’s about finding a healthy balance and managing technology rather than letting it control us. Would you like to give it a go?

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