No Phone, No Problem
the only type of phone allowed at the Masters
Last week I spent three days without my phone.
Three days without texting, without looking at emails, without checking instagram, without looking at the news.
And it was glorious.
I was at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia which famously does not allow any cell phones while you are on property. So every day I would leave my phone in the hotel room and be totally disconnected for twelve hours .
While this sounds like a difficult proposition, the funny thing was, at the end of the day, I didn’t even want to look at it. The time spent without the distraction was a welcome break.
Yes it made logistics a little harder and I was lost without Apple Pay, but overall it was an eye opening and positive exercise.
You were forced to interact with the people around you, friends and strangers alike. You were able to take in all the sights and sounds instead of trying to capture it all through a screen. You were fully present and in the moment.
Judging by the reaction of others, it seems that I am not the only one who enjoyed the phone free lifestyle.
Obviously regularly ditching your phone for days at a time isn’t practical, but here are five simple ways that you can try to have a better relationship with your phone.
No Cell Phones In Public. Do you really need to whip out your phone for that two minute elevator ride? Or while waiting in line for coffee? I have been trying to avoid using my phone while in public places and have discovered that it is kind of nice to just be for a moment.
Limit Notifications. One of the best changes I made with my phone was turning off all notifications except for phone calls and texts. Now when I see someone’s phone with a million alerts for everything from sports news to the latest clothing sale, it makes me overwhelmed just looking at it. Try turning off notifications for everything except what is most essential - I think you will be surprised at how little you miss them.
Not Being On The Phone With Other People. Is there anything more annoying than someone who is constantly on their phone while they are with you? Notice when you are doing it and stop. Be present and focus on who you are with, not your screen.
Use Do Not Disturb Liberally. This is especially helpful for night and morning. Pick what time you want to be offline, set it up so that it automatically turns on, and put your phone away during those times.
Taking Phone Breaks. This is something that I haven’t done before, but am now inspired to try: once a week leaving my phone in my apartment and going out for a walk - I just need to remember my credit card ;)
