I forgot that this wasn’t normal, Reader.
There I was in Nashville chatting with the sweetest mom. She asked me to pull open Instagram so I could follow her and stay in touch. She was shocked to find I didn’t have the app on my phone!
A while back, I turned my smart-phone into a dumb phone. I went through every app, looked at it honestly and if it didn’t majorly help my life, I deleted it … including all social media. And here’s the kicker, the mail app!
Usually, I take time to think things through a bit, but I was quick and brutal here. If I wasn’t planning on responding to inquiries on the go at baseball games and girls' night, then it doesn’t need to be on my phone. It needs to be on my computer, where I can sit and think over how I wanted to respond.
Slower yes. But figured that there were more pros than cons.
Honestly? I didn’t expect much. Bere’s what surprised me:
I felt so free having close to nothing on my phone. My phone became a tool for texting and calling, and the occasional photo. And when everyone who could possibly need me for something urgent was around, I didn’t need my phone at all.
More importantly, I found myself calmer and way more present.
If you’ve been feeling scattered and screen-tethered, maybe this sparks something for you, too.
Here’s my easy-as-1-2-3 steps for “Dumb-Phone” Status:
- If you’ve got a bee in your bonnet and are feeling bold, delete all your distracting apps at once. OR take it one baby step at a time, delete one, see how it goes, then move on to the next one.
- Give yourself some grace … Tell yourself it’s okay fail, you will still sometimes find yourself distracted by your phone. Lower your expectations, and mean it. Trial and error is a thing for a reason.
- Look for wins … Celebrate anything that goes well. And I mean anything … chalk up the wins, no matter how small.
You don’t need to have more screen time limits and boundaries or hide your phone in another room.
Sometimes, a little experimentation is enough to help you start fresh and find yourself a little more present this Summer.
Got your own small-but-mighty move you’ve tried lately to be more present?
I’d love to hear it—hit reply and tell me. Or just file this away for the day you need a nudge.
Warmly,
