By Younas Chaudhary

Today’s cell phone is ubiquitous, stuck to our bodies and killing us silently. It erodes our manners, limits our attention span, and wastes the brief time we have on Earth. How can you refresh your mind and soul when all you do is keep staring at the phone?

Like you, I am stuck with this device. Unless we stop being slaves to cell phones, we will enjoy our lives way less in this world. I try hard not to pick up my phone while eating, family time, and walking. But I have the urge to answer and focus on it when I hear it buzz.

For example, during my morning walk I like to enjoy nature but at the same time I constantly receive phone buzz and text alerts. That reminds me of all the unloved dogs on leashes wandering around with their masters hooked to phones!

I try to put the phone on mute or “do not disturb” mode whenever I can and make it a point to not pick it up from 9 pm to 6 am. However, we live in an era with a false sense of urgency and the phone is the antidote to our self-generated fear of missing out on something. Have we become senselessly immature and less mindful of what is happening around us?

The world demands a quick response because the world knows we are connected. Sometimes it is better to miss something than wait anxiously tethered to a device.

We have lost the simple pleasures in life, the enjoyable, fleeting, wandering moments of curiosity. Instead, we are in a hurry talking, showing off in video calls, sending emojis, and rudely inviting others into conversations without permission. We seldom use the phone for a good purpose. Instead, we use it as a distraction.

I get frustrated when people use phones in office meetings. So, I have told my staff not to bring their device in the vicinity of meetings and conference rooms. We rarely look another person in the eye, instead, we all have necks that slouch down to avoid human connection.

Despite all its negative effects, the phone is a quite useful device in today’s world for people who are self-disciplined. For the rest, it is a harmful, time wasting, and addictive device that takes a toll on one’s physical and mental health. So, if you want to go on a phone detox to improve your life, here are some tips to follow:

1. Do not wake up looking at the phone and do not go to bed saying goodbye to your phone.
2. Look people in the eye and talk instead of nervously fidgeting and looking at your phone.
3. Have the self-discipline to regulate the times you look at the phone.
4. Remove apps and websites that make you reach out to trivial nonsense every 10 minutes.
5. Remember, the only thing you can control is yourself. Do not look at the phone to view all the troubles in the world and fret about it. Control yourself!

Stay Blessed.