Disconnect to Reconnect - Why I Took a Break From My Smartphone

My co-worker caught me off guard when she pulled out a cell phone from the 1900s. I’m talking about one of those old-school pre-Razr flip phones. Being nosey, I asked,

“What happened? You broke your iPhone?”

She responded, “No, I’m taking a break from it.”

“A break?” I asked.

“Yeah, all I can do is text and make calls.”

The more we talked, the more attractive disconnecting from technology became. She intentionally took a break from her smartphone for her mental and financial health.

Now, by no means am I about that "no smartphone" life, but her decision inspired me to be more mindful about how I spend my time. I saw firsthand through her experience how beneficial it is to disconnect to reconnect with the present moment. I disconnected from technology on my terms by limiting my time scrolling through numerous apps; I’m looking at you, TikTok, Ig, and YouTube.

Benefits I experienced from disconnecting from my smartphone:

1. Increased Productivity: Less time on my phone gave me more time to finish things. Less mindless scrolling encouraged more intentional living.

2. Increased Mental Clarity: My brain wasn’t overstimulated by the open tabs and overflow of information on my phone, allowing me to have the mental space necessary to focus.

3. Bigger Bank Account: I realized I didn’t need to add anything else to my amazon cart or subscribe to another app. Limiting my time online kept my shopping in check and thus saved more of my coins.

4. Improved Mood & Energy: All the energies and opinions online can be draining and affect my mood. By decreasing my time on the news and social media apps, I could focus and be more aware of my feelings without being influenced by others.

5. Increased Patience: I realized I didn’t need instant gratification to be happy.

My co-worker and I disconnected from technology by limiting our smartphone use, but there are many other ways to disconnect to reconnect with yourself. You can spend time in nature, create art, exercise, etc. What are some of your favorite ways to disconnect to reconnect?