Can YOU Go a Day Without Looking at Your Phone?

Yes… you. And honestly, me too.

I was listening to a podcast recently that was talking about phone addiction, and one thing they mentioned that instantly caught my attention was how the very first thing most people do when they wake up is reach for their phone.

And when I heard that, I thought… wow.

Because if we’re being honest, that is probably true for a majority of us.

It really makes you stop and ask yourself: Could you genuinely go an entire day without touching your phone?

Like seriously… think about it.

For me, all of my alarms are set on my phone, so if I actually wanted to be intentional about cutting back even more, one of the first things I’d probably have to do is buy an actual alarm clock.

Now, personally, I do feel like I’ve gotten better with screen time… but I also know it could be a lot lower.

The podcast made several really valid points that stuck with me, but one in particular really hit.

She talked about how older generations were the ones who actually lived life… while newer generations are slowly becoming the ones who simply watch life happen and retell it.

And when she put it like that…

I sat there thinking because honestly… It’s true.

How much time are we actually wasting just scrolling?

Endlessly looking for the next dopamine hit.

The next video.

The next post.

The next distraction.

And in the moment, it feels harmless.

It feels entertaining.

But when you really sit back and think about how much time disappears while doing absolutely nothing…

It becomes scary.

Because that time could have been spent connecting with people.

Being outside.

Learning a new skill.

Creating something meaningful.

Or simply sitting alone with your own thoughts instead of constantly running away from them.

And I think that’s what a lot of us struggle with.

Stillness.

Personally, I don’t use social media until after 7 PM most days.

The only social media I really have is TikTok, and even then, I usually wait until the end of the day after I’ve gone to the gym and finished everything I need to do.

But I have to admit…

The amount of time I spend scrolling afterward almost feels like I’m subconsciously making up for the fact that I stayed off my phone all day.

And yeah…

I can feel it frying my brain.

I’ve realized that when I intentionally fill my day with things that excite me, naturally, I don’t even think about my phone.

Think about when you’re on vacation.

When you wake up excited for what the day has to offer…

When you have experiences waiting for you.

Places to explore.

Memories to create.

The last thing on your mind is obsessing over what everyone else is doing because you’re too busy being fully present in your own life.

And no, I’m not saying you need to book a vacation just to escape your phone.

But I am saying this:

Create a life where your everyday feels exciting enough that you no longer constantly need a digital escape.

Tune into your life.

It is okay to sit in stillness.

In fact, I’d argue the more comfortable you become with boredom… the more freedom you begin to feel.

Now I know not everyone can wake up tomorrow and decide to quit cold turkey.

I get that.

So there are ways you can create friction.

Let’s say social media is your weakness.

Some apps literally lock you out of apps during certain periods, so when that urge kicks in, there’s an actual barrier stopping you. (Apps like Forest, Opal, Freedom, or ScreenZen are great examples.)

Because honestly…

Not going on social media at all?

Easy.

The difficult part comes once you’re already on it.

Because once you start scrolling…

That’s when it becomes hard to stop.

If that doesn’t work, maybe do what I do.

Stay busy throughout the day, but give yourself a designated time where you can scroll guilt-free.

And once that time is up…

You’re done.

I’ve honestly even thought about getting a flip phone.

The main reason I enjoy having a smartphone is the camera, so part of me thinks maybe I should just buy a separate camera instead.

Drastic?

Probably.

But I genuinely think it would improve my quality of life.

The funny thing is, I’m already extremely intentional about what I consume… which is ironic because I literally wrote about this in You Are What You Consume, yet somehow I’m realizing I haven’t been applying that same awareness to my digital habits.

I pay attention to what I watch (which is honestly 90% anime… wholesome anime at that lol).

I’m mindful of what I eat.

I follow a mostly plant-based diet.

I limit dairy as much as I can.

I’m intentional about what enters my body.

But lately I’ve been realizing…

I should be just as intentional about what enters my mind digitally.

Most of my screen time honestly comes from reading comics.

But even then…

That is still time I could be spending somewhere else.

So maybe it’s time we start reclaiming our lives.

And start living more…

IN REAL LIFE.

So if you decide to join me on this journey of cutting back…

Let me know.

What changes have you noticed?

What habits have you implemented?

And what happens when you finally allow yourself to look up from the screen…
and fully experience the life sitting right in front of you?

See you in the next one ♡

Written with love,
Impera

Check Out My Rebirth Collection Now ✧

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