Ouch: No Phone for 24 Hours

My husband was without his phone for 24 hours. We fueled up at a local gas station, and he placed it on the back bumper of the truck as he turned onto the highway. It fell off and the truck behind us ran over it. A kind young man followed us to our destination and asked if it was ours. After the initial, grim, "uh oh," we realized it was my husband's. The young man offered to go grab it for us as we were towing a trailer and parking it on the highway could have been problematic.

When the guy got back and handed it over, the phone was a mess. Surprisingly, it was still in one piece except for the screen and screen protector which both shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. It looked like many intricate spider webs. While it didn't work, we at least had the phone and didn't have to report it as stolen or lost.

Ouch! Photo by S. Williams

My husband uses his phone for business. It's virtually a minicomputer and is very handy to use for work while we are out and about. His phone is almost an appendage. He’s accessible to his clients nearly all the time. They come to expect very quick service in this world of instant contact. The phone catastrophe occurred late on a Sunday afternoon. We had appointments in town the next day, so he was able to go to the Verizon store. They were able to quickly assist him with a new phone. Thankfully, he had purchased the insurance. They suggested a second, inexpensive model as a backup. Now he has peace of mind for work in case something happens to his regular phone.

Photo by Ryan Carpenter on Unsplash

But does he have peace? I thought the 24 hours without the phone were incredibly peaceful. We let our immediate family know to call me in case of an emergency during that short time. There was no texting at the table, no quick lookup of a fact. No one calling while we decompressed watching a movie. My husband didn't have to answer a text as we readied for bed and the phone didn't ring or vibrate before we woke up. We didn't start a conversation only to be interrupted by an urgent matter. I understand all about the importance of business. But I've also learned boundaries. I keep my phone on silent and try to only check it periodically throughout the day. My extended family knows if they need to reach me urgently to call. Don't get me wrong. I had to be purposeful about setting those boundaries. And it can be hard to adhere to them.

Photo by Ravi Sharma on Unsplash

It got me thinking about my "need" for my phone. I also conduct business through my phone. I love the little text conversations I have with my adult kids and my parents. I adore FaceTime chats with the littles. I use the notes app for grocery lists and for blog and writing ideas. I read a book on my phone while I'm waiting for an appointment. I know I can reach someone immediately in case of an emergency. But at what cost? Am I trained like Pavlov's dog to jump into action at the ding of a bell? Do I panic when I don't know where I left it? Do I use it to avoid eye contact or conversation with a stranger? What does that say about our lives? My life? Why do we feel the need to be so connected Every. Single. Moment? Why can’t we go through a meal without checking our phones? I love the concept of leaving all of the phones in a basket on the counter while we eat. There's something to be said about truly being present when spending time with someone. I have to admit, I was a tiny bit disappointed that our 24 hours of peace was over.

Maybe our phones should come with a warning label on the box. "Handle with care. Contents can be highly addictive. Use at your own risk." I'm planning a 24 hour fast from my phone. An intentional break, not one caused by my phone meeting the wheel of a SEMI. Depending on the results, I may make it a weekly event. I’m curious to see if it affects my productivity, mindset, stress level and relationships. I'll report back on my findings.

Do you have too close of a "relationship" with your technology? Thoughts? Comment here or on social media.