I Didn’t Use Social Media For A Whole Weekend – Here’s What I Learned

Have you ever considered putting away your phone for a whole weekend? No Facebook, no Instagram, no Snapchat, nothing. I know, that sounds kind of crazy right? However, during a recent weekend break with my boyfriend, that is exactly what I did.

Having arrived at our hotel we both agreed to switch off our little wifi symbols and swiftly stash away our phones in the bedside drawer. Although my boyfriend failed in his task (definitely caught the fecker having a sneaky look on Facebook), I kept my side of the deal and remained technology free for the duration of the trip, all in the name of research, and boy did I learn some things.

Our conversations were better

Not having a phone at our sides for the duration of dinner meant that myself and my boyfriend actually had to speak to each other (can you believe it?!). Alright, that might sound a little dramatic. But instead of filling any silences by aimlessly scrolling through my Instagram feed, I filled it by asking questions, coming up with conversation topics and generally just being there in the moment.

You start noticing everyone on their phones

I was a lot more aware of my surroundings after leaving my phone in my hotel room. Through this, I noticed the number of people around me who were glued to their smartphones. Almost every couple at dinner had a phone in their hands while they waited for their food to be served, which made me a little sad to realise that this is how I usually look. Maybe a ‘no phones at dinner’ rule is something I should consider.

I actually had to THINK

How First World Problems of me! Whenever I needed to know something I had to actually use my mind instead of just reaching for my smart phone and letting Google do the job for me. I also realised just how much I don’t actually know, which is a separate issue within itself really, isn’t it. *shrugs*

I had NO idea what time it was

Not having my phone constantly at hand made me realise that without it I have no idea what time it is. I know, I know, a simple solution to this problem is a little thing called a watch, but I did not think this through and spent my entire weekend wondering what time it was. I also noted the severe lack of clocks in public places like restaurants and bars, so if you are planning on going phone free for any period of time, do bring along a watch, you will need it.

Notifications make me anxious

Something I was quite oblivious of before my wifi detox was the constant state of unease my phone puts me in. Having it beside me, buzzing every 10 minutes, makes it very difficult to sit back and relax. Feeling the constant urge to look at a phone screen to see who liked my latest Instagram picture is damaging to anyone’s mental health. By switching off your phone you are also switching off your mind, and how can that ever be a bad thing?

Have you ever considered putting away your smart phone for a day or so? It may have more benefits than you think. Trust me, if I can do it, you can too!

Tags:

• life
• realtalk
• smartphones