What I Learned From Going Three Weeks Without a Phone

Some people probably read this post’s title and get anxiety. I’m with you!

Let me start by saying that my cellphone fast was not intentional. In fact, I was extremely unhappy about the situation. My untrustworthy iPhone was less than a year old and just decided not to turn on one day.

Great. I am a stay at home mom, full-time student, busy, planner, blogger, family-woman, how in the world was I going to be a productive human being without my phone?!

I was determined to be optimistic. I said to my husband trying to be strong (and also trying to convince myself I was going to be okay), “Psh, no big deal. I don’t need a phone. Technology is taking over the world anyways.”

I meant what I said. Technology is everywhere. It’s too much. I want a more simple life. I wasn’t ready to give up my phone though. I guess I didn’t really have a say in the matter.

Oh, the cons…

I dropped my girls off at the sitter and drove off with no way for their care provider to reach me if anything bad were to happen. I was filled with anxiety. My mind was racing, I couldn’t wait to get to school so I could open my computer and have Facebook Messenger open JUST IN CASE.

When I was at home with the kids, I was terrified that I didn’t have a way to make an emergency phone call. What if one of my kids choked or had an unfortunate accident?

I wasn’t able to schedule, reschedule, or contact anyone or anything regarding appointments or meetings. For example, I had issues with my internet service one day and I couldn’t make a quick call to someone to get it back up and running. Another day, I wanted to call the doctor’s office to reschedule my appointment because my daughter’s were napping longer than expected but, there was no way to do so.

Even little things… I missed getting texts from my husband on his breaks at work asking how the kids and I were doing. I looked forward to “hearing” from him throughout the day but we rarely got a chance to speak because the chances of me sitting on my computer at home during his break times were very slim pickings.

I missed googling any random question that popped into my head, that instant gratification.

My husband was getting annoyed with me. Instead of greeting him with a warm “welcome home” after work, I was instead, demanding that he hand his phone over so I could try to call and make appointments before businesses closed!

The first week I was more of a mess than I’d like to admit. Seriously guys, I even missed my phone when I had to use the bathroom. I had resort back to my childhood days and read the labels on shampoo and lotion bottles.

Though in the beginning, I was faced with these serious cons to not having a phone, I was later met with a greater amount of pros.

I used to roll over in bed in the morning and grab my phone right away. I also used to lay on my phone until wee hours of the night. I didn’t have that problem (or option) anymore so I got a lot more sleep. For weeks, I had been praying/begging for rest and I was finally getting it.

After dropping off my girls with the sitter, I turned my serious “what if” anxiety into prayer. In the past, I chose to use my car rides for phone calls because it seemed like a good time to return messages. Even when I wasn’t talking on the phone, I was always seeing/hearing notifications pop up and I was constantly thinking about what I needed to do next. Being without my phone allowed me to have uninterrupted conversations with my good ol’ pal The Lord. I was able to listen to some uplifting music, do some Kegels, whatever I wanted! I loved being able to clear my mind on my way to and from school.

I spent more time looking at my children. I have never been one to sit and stare at my phone all day or ignore my kids but the quick “I’m just going to check the weather really quick,” always seemed to turn into a “and I just want to clear these other notifications really quick too.”

I was present with my family. My husband and I laid in bed and talked with each other at night rather than me silently scrolling through my social media accounts.

I was punctual. I didn’t have my phone to send a quick “I’m going to be a few minutes late,” text. Don’t lie, we’ve all done it. It’s convenient but when you don’t have that option, trust me, you’ll make a point to start getting ready a few minutes earlier than usual.

It was SO freaking nice not to have to answer to anyone. I didn’t have to answer any calls, or texts. We all have those people who get mad if you don’t answer your phone right away and I didn’t have to deal with a single one! If I wanted to talk someone, like my mom or dad, they were forced to stop by or I had to go visit. I loved it!

Before I found out that my insurance would cover a new phone for free, I looked into getting rid of my smart phone and just getting a phone to have in case of emergencies. Yes, I was willing to resort to a flip phone.

But since it was free of charge, I got my new iPhone sent to me a few of days ago. Since having it back, I’ve noticed that I don’t bother with it as much. If someone calls and I don’t answer right away, I don’t stress. I will return the call when it’s convenient for me. I don’t go on it while I’m with my children or spending time with family. I do still like to browse before bed but I don’t stay up as late as I used to. My favorite part? Even if I’m not using it… It’s there in case of an emergency. I love that peace of mind.

While I have a love/hate relationship with technology, I do enjoy having a phone and I really did miss mine while it was gone. I am thankful that I had this time to “reset” and my new phone will be spending much more time on the shelf so I can be present with my family, myself and God.

Like this fun date my hubby and I went on! Just him and I, nature, and our cameras. I love being able to take a step away from all technology (besides my camera in this case) from time to time. I really recommend cutting yourself off intentionally if you’ve never given it a go. It truly is refreshing.

xxoo Kate

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