Commonly Experienced Side Effects of Not Having a Smartphone

Introduction

Living in a world where smartphones are the air we breathe in life, the thought of being without one is a misnomer. Our phones are our maps, calendars, social life, entertainment, and work, ‘hands down.’ So, what do you experience when you detox from the existing flow of messages, maps, and on-the-go communication?

It would seem you miss the vital ‘grand moments or experiences’ and feel abandoned. And, similar to life, there are certainly blanks that are often erased from your daily life. Yet, there is a strange policy behind it. When you unplug, one beautiful occurrence that also seems horrifying is that you start to notice. Rather than highlight the 7 shared adverse experiences of being without a smartphone in a more pertinent and experiential tone, in this article, we will go through the shared side effects of not having a smartphone, what you will miss, and the surprise benefits of living off the grid, running from the phone, at least for a rumor.

1. Missing the Map: Physically Getting Lost

One of the first things you will notice is how often you will reach for your phone when you are looking for directions. Losing the benefits of using Google Maps or Apple Maps means you have to use paper maps (if you even have one), signs, or, even worse, ask someone for directions.

Initially, it can be disorienting. You will miss the convenience of looking at a map whenever you get lost and the reassurance of knowing you can always get back. You will find yourself wanting to go back to the old way of navigating with your smartphone, but soon you will understand that getting lost is not as bad as it seems. Getting lost causes you to slow down, notice the little things in front of you, and read the landscape more closely. It is an exercise in patience, physically and mentally.

Side effect: You start to appreciate the phenomenon of traveling in the real world. You will notice your surroundings in a way you have never done before. You might even find yourself wandering with nowhere to go, learning to exist in the journey for the journey itself.

2. You Yearn for Noise: The Lack of Constant Stimulation

One of the most blatant outcomes of living without your phone is even the disconcerting quiet. You no longer will experience the constant buzz of notifications, the beep of an incoming text, and you won’t even experience the continual stimulation from social media posts that keep your mind on constant alertness.

At first, that constant awareness will seem almost confining as it seems your mind is craving something to fill the silence. But then, sooner or later, you will begin to notice you’ve been living in a state of over-arousal for years. You realize that while the silence does not represent emptiness, it represents something else… calm. As a result, you can start to reap the simple joy of quietness, and not being in a position where you have to respond to someone right away, or always being in tune for the next incoming ping.

Side Effect: You will reclaim your mental space that your phone used to flood with constant distractions that filled every waking hour of your day. In its place will be greater calmness of mind. Likely, you will be more productive, more focused, and more at ease, and you will be able to hear and keep track of your own thoughts.

3. You Miss Being Reachable: The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)

In the modern era, being reachable is almost an obligation, either socially or professionally. If you don’t have a mobile phone, you could miss a call, a message, or an invitation. At first, this creates uneasiness — what if something significant happens and you don’t know or can’t respond?

You might even feel a little out of it. The world moves on, and you are no longer at the center of it. Friends make plans without you because they think you are not reachable, you have 200 unread emails in your inbox, and you can see how dependent you’ve become on being plugged in.

However, the truth is that the longer you lean into being unavailable, the more you realize there really is nothing scary about being unavailable. People figure it out, and life can go on without your 24/7 or constant availability. Plus, when you are unavailable for a 24/7 role, you are prioritizing what’s truly important, and that in itself is life-altering.

Side Effect: The next thing you know, you start to change and redefine what “reachable” means to you. The fear of the pressure of being constantly reachable diminishes, and you become comfortable with the idea that you aren’t available to every person at every moment. You can say “no” to the demand for permission and “yes” to deeper and more meaningful engagement.

4. You yearn for instant gratification: An era of convenience

Smartphones have become so helpful in our lives. Hungry? There’s an app for that. About ready to book a flight or take a taxi? It’s all right there in your hand. Without your phone, this convenience disappears. You might find yourself needing to make phone calls off a payphone (remember those?) or actually go outside your house to a store to purchase something.

At first, you can’t help but feel vexed as everything slows down and you become the one person still living in the past, in effect, living in slow motion. Eventually, though, something surprising happens: you start feeling enjoyment from the process. You start to feel that convenience will rob you of moments you never really realized you had.

Side Effect: You feel an enjoyment that comes from doing small, pointless things and enjoy the experience more than you used to. The act of doing things by hand, of making a phone call from a landline, or thinking of how to get where you’re going, adds depth to your experience of being alive. You stop rushing through the experience of life and start to experience it.

5. Missing Notifications: A Temporary Disruption of Your Digital Social Life

Email notifications, social media, and push messages have become entwined in the fabric of our social lives. If you do not have your phone, you may miss birthday notifications, news, or even information to keep in touch with coworkers or friends. For some, this experience can feel isolating. It is difficult to “keep up” in the virtual world.

But here is the beauty: You ultimately realize that just because you do not receive notifications does not mean you are “out of the loop.” You do not rely on digital notifications to inform you of what is going on; you rely on connections, conversations with people, and your own internal sense of time. Life does not happen in real-time through your phone anymore — it happens in the real world and in the now.

Side effect: You become more engaged in real relationships and less engaged in virtual relationships. You engage with the people in the room more profoundly, rather than seeking affirmation or approval from your online community. Your social life is more robust, more meaningful, and less of a performance.

6. You Turn Your Focus on Again: The Actual Benefit

When you are without your phone, a beautiful thing begins to happen: You focus. Without the distraction of notifications and the temptation to scroll, you begin to focus on your surroundings. You’re listening better to conversations, noticing details in your environment, and thinking about your thoughts more clearly.

You can feel what it means to live in the present. You are no longer multitasking or skimming through life; you are living it. You become more aware of not only your needs, but your feelings and your environment.

Side Effect: Everything begins to slow down, including you. Without immediate access to everything, you begin to notice depth in the little things. You begin to live more, without needing to be somewhere else, check something, or respond quickly.

Conclusion: Fully Engaging with the Good and Terrible Parts of Disconnection

Not owning a smartphone may sound drastic in the harsh climate of today, but it is a courageous experiment at living more consciously. Of course, you will miss the convenience, the distraction, and the nonexistent inconvenience of being constantly connected. But in the end, you also gain the opportunity to identify something wonderful: not being a zombie and actually paying attention to the world around you and connecting with your life.

It is beautiful, and it is terrifying. It is awkward at first, but once the noise stops in the digital landscape, peace returns, and you hear your own thoughts more distinctly. You learn to inhabit what matters most to you, while reclaiming your attention, which ultimately allows you to reclaim your life.

In a world where you are expected to be always available, always entertained, and almost always distracted, the decision not to own a smartphone may be the ultimate act of controlling your attention.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.