“The things you own end up owning you” ― Tyler Durden (Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk)

 

As I write this, I’m three weeks into a near 3-month adventure that will take me around several parts of Asia.  About a week and a half ago, I lost my phone.  Whether it slipped out of my pocket in a cab, in a restaurant or somewhere in between will forever be a mystery.

 

For anyone else that has lost a phone, you know what a frustrating loss this can be.  You may also have realised just how reliant many of us have become on these little screens of wonder we keep in our purses and pockets.

 

Losing my phone led to all sorts of password resets, security checks and letting family and friends in on the news so they could plan accordingly.  Network providers had to be contacted.  It may have led to some lost photos and audio.  It definitely led to a lost camera for me to use presently.  It has also led to an inability to ‘check in’ on the world and my online affairs (writing, email, social media etc) in a hyper-convenient way.

 

So much relative power and convenience in something so small.  Our smartphones really have changed our lives.

 

However, with the bad comes some good.

 

Beyond the initial irritation of losing the phone, I’ve settled into a pattern of not thinking about it much.

 

Rather than taking pictures of what’s happening in front of me, I can actually be totally present for it as it happens.  Rather than ‘check in’ briefly on social media and spend the next 30 minutes surfing, I’m forced to take in what’s around me and keep myself occupied in other ways.

 

Even though I consider myself to have a pretty healthy relationship with my electronic devices, I’ve also realised I often use my phone without much thought.

 

I’ve slipped into habits that are more about distractions, than providing usefulness online.  I’ve slipped into checking in on social media a little too often.  I’ve found it too easy to pull the camera out for every photo opportunity, rather than being totally in the moment.  Reaching for my phone at times is more about a reactive habit than an actual ‘need’.

 

Will I get another smartphone soon? Absolutely.

 

Will I enjoy the convenience it brings when I get it? You bet I will.

 

Will I recommit to using my device more mindfully when that time comes?  I certainly plan to.

 

Am I happy to live without a phone for a while longer and remain ‘offline’?  Definitely!

 

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