Leaving the Phone at Home

Earlier this year I decided to get a cellular Apple watch because, while I want to stay in touch with my partner while walking our dog or running short errands, I don't like having my pockets stuffed. I felt a similar sense of relief and freedom as the article author - it really feels great to not be tethered to the attention economy, but still be in touch with your loved ones using just a tiny device on your wrist. Nowadays I opt for leaving my phone at home as much as I can, and I very rarely face any sort of inconvenience because of it. I think with smartwatches getting more capable now, and reaching dumbphone + navigation + weather info functionality, this is becoming a really solid alternative to carrying a phone with you all the time.

About 2 years ago I found myself once more checking my phone while on the toilet. I decided that was enough, I don&#x27;t want to be an addict.<p>Since then, all my devices (phones, laptop) now stay in a specific room of the house: the office and they never leave<p>If I badly need GPS to get somewhere I take the dumbphone with me, the phone with the apps simply never leaves the office. But I&#x27;ll look up the road before instead unless absolutely needed. If I need to meet someone I tell them be on time where we agreed to meet, I won&#x27;t have a phone with me<p>It&#x27;s scary to notice how as soon as there&#x27;s a phone in my pocket the old addiction kicks up

&quot;It’s a chain you carry 24&#x2F;7 connected to the rest of the world, and anyone can pull from the other side.&quot;<p>People seem to forget the era of landlines when our peace and quiet at home could be shattered at any moment by anybody. Cell phones are gentle nudge waiting for us on the table or in our pockets, instead of a literal screaming alarm permeating our entire living space.

As a 1970s teenager, I&#x27;ve been trying to communicate for years the sense of liberation that I felt as a teenager, when i would walk out of my parents house, and down the street.<p>No one knew where I was or where I was going, and I DID need to know where I was because I was the one who had to get where I was going, and then back again.<p>This led to a sense of autonomy and self direction that I&#x27;ve found practically impossible to convey to those born since the 1990s, who have grown up in constant communication.<p>It&#x27;s refreshing, and maybe even a possible sign of AVOIDING the apocalypse to see younger people rediscovering this sense of freedom.<p>I hope more can find it, and the sense of satisfaction it brings...

But then I might be left alone with my own thoughts.

Happy to read this. I just put my MacBook up for sale on eBay. The phone and the computer are way too much. But I find myself more and more trying to leave my phone in my car when I go places. I can’t believe how quickly we’ve became dependent on these devices, when we don’t really need to be dependent on them at all. What kind of witchcraft was it?

&gt; no one will bother you with anything, no new likes on Instagram, no new offers on Amazon<p>It seems half (if not more) of the problem is distractions by profit-seeking, tracking companies. I solved this problem by choosing a GNU&#x2F;Linux phone, without any proprietary apps. No distractions, and yet whenever I need to be available, I am.<p>And it feels very liberating, too.

See also, the &quot;television is no friend of mine&quot; sketch: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=6fA9sJ3LBwg&amp;t=11s">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=6fA9sJ3LBwg&amp;t=11s</a>

I have a hunch that the underlying problem is “too much love”.<p>Micromanaging children is the norm, although we kind of have an understanding that it creates less capable adults. Phones are great tool to control people especially as somehow it is the norm that we _should_ answer phone calls at random times during the day. Children of today suffer this. Also who were grown up before the mobile era, like me, we feel responsible to answer the phone because we love to be loved.<p>Maybe we should think about how we give and receive love more :)

I picked up an iPod, the first generation that had the buttons integrated into the scroll wheel, and replaced the battery. I could probably get by loading this up with podcasts, TED talks &amp; audiobooks. My downfall is being insanely bad at directions. So I kind of need to bring my phone with me while driving most places.<p>I have done as the author mentions, and simply walked around my neighborhood without a phone. It really is a great experience.<p>Thanks for this! I will put some more effort into disconnecting more.

Or just turn off notifications? It&#x27;s not hard.

Somebody please try leaving your phone at work

I really want to however i am always on-call and the fall through for my team. Although it rarely happens i always have to have a phone with me. It will likely be like that until i retire because of my position.