Your Phone Doesn’t Make You More Productive
I spent the first week of the year without my phone. How did I let this happen? It wasn’t because I wanted to. It just happened! Actually, I broke the glass of my phone twice — the first time was just a normal glass break, but the second time, my phone screen slowly became purple — which was great because it’s my favorite color, and the touch screen wasn’t working anymore.
This post is not about how cellphones are destroying our lives, in fact, I don’t believe they are. I just wanted to share my observations during the week I spent offline in this world.
1st day — Monday
Bad mood. On my way to work, I thought I couldn’t do anything anymore. But then, I tried to convince myself that everything was going to be OK since I knew the route and I did the same trajectory to get to work every single day. No worries, hmm, not so sure. I forgot about a meeting I had at 9am, because I didn’t have my phone to remind me. In the end, I survived the first day, nobody died and not going to the meeting was no biggie.
Results: I forgot about a meeting. My boss asked, what happened? I said my phone is broken and I don’t know how to live in this world anymore.
2nd day — Tuesday
I was freaking out and thinking about all the problems that could happen. Someone on my team could need me during my lunch break or before I arrived at the office, and I couldn’t reply to that person. What if something happened to me? I haven’t memorized my husband’s new phone number yet. I usually read in the Bart commute, but I needed to be more productive, HOW?
Result: I read a really nice comic book that day.
3rd day — Wednesday
I always have books in my backpack and my Kindle. I had two books with me that day but I was getting bored. I decided to enjoy more of my time and be more present. Most of the time when I wasn’t in the office or at my place, I was reading books. I was also paying more attention to the city and all the crazy things that happen in San Francisco.
Result: There are really crazy people in San Francisco.
4th day — Thursday
I was a pro at this already. I always thought that my phone helped me to be more productive. Every morning while I was on the bus, I used to check my Slack, my Trello board, read and sometimes answer some emails. Then I realized that I was basically the same without my phone. I wasn’t any less productive, in fact, the only problem I had was to trying so hard to remember all the stuff I had on my phone. Maybe I just needed to change some habits, for example, check my schedule the day before.
Result: They lied to me, my phone doesn’t make me more productive.
5th day — Friday
I decided to work from home, but I was super worried, I had a party to go to that day and I didn’t have any communication with the world anymore — my phone. The party was going to be on a boat. I was scared and anxious because how am I going to get to the party? Where do the taxi drivers hide nowadays? What if I can’t find my coworkers? Will I need cash? Should I write down the exact address of the party on a piece of paper? Should I ask someone to call me a Lyft when I leave the party?
Result: Friends [dogs, pigs, and cute cats] are the best things we have in life ❤
6th Day — Saturday
No worries because it’s Saturday, right!? Yes, a lot of worries. I have my PMP preparation class during the weekend in downtown San Francisco. It’s fine, I’ll ask someone to call me a Lyft, I’ll memorize the plate number again and hopefully find my driver. I hope the driver doesn’t get lost. Let’s be positive!
Result: It can be interesting to look for a restaurant with vegan options in an old-school way — aka without a smartphone, in downtown San Francisco during weekends.
7th Day — Sunday
Another day, another PMP class. Called a Lyft, but for some reason the address destination was wrong, my driver stopped and I was like what? Where am I? Where’s my Google Maps?
Result: I had my iPad with me. Blessed the free Wi-Fi!
If you’re curious…
1. This was my first week without my phone. I had two extra cellphones: one iPhone and a Samsung I just bought for my mom. The reason I didn’t use those was because my SIMcard is from Google Fi which is great, because I love Google, but unfortunately I can only use my SIM with Google Phones like Pixel and Nexus.
2 — My new Pixel already arrived. I’m enjoying every moment with it and I bought a super nice case to protect it… from myself.
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