Lately I’ve been getting into bed alone, in Bali, with my phone and my computer, and watching old Gossip Girl episodes (I know, what the hell), Facetiming BGC, and then scrolling or Blair and Chuck Bassing my life into oblivion until 1-2am most nights.
Then I wake up late feeling all groggy and anxious and uninspired, I can’t think why.
I’m here in Bali to I can A. be warm, B. tone down my crazy workhorseness and chill out a bit while having many $10 massages C. appease my travel bug and D. Have some time to myself with no one to answer to so I can work out my next steps.
I love being alone and doing my own thing, but with the help of The Upper East Side and my iPhone, my Bali digital nomadism has rapidly deteriorated into me feeling disconnected, anxious and really alone. Even though I’m surrounded by friendly, open people only a co-working space away.
So I thought I’d invite you to join me in a challenge – no iPhone, iPad, Laptop, Samsung Galaxy or Androidy tabletty things anywhere near your bedroom for a week. Or maybe forever.
Step 1.
Get a new alarm clock. I use a near-broken iPhone 4 with no apps, only alarms with Van Morrison and Trinity Roots songs, and on airplane mode.
Step 2.
Take your charger and plug it in somewhere outside your room. No iPhone is going to last without a good overnight charge.
Step 3.
Read these studies to solidify your mission:
__ Dependency on Smartphone Use and Its Association with Anxiety
__ Relationship of smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety
There you have it, studies have shown that increased use of a smartphone is associated with anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance. Not cool. And it’s happening to all of us – from babys who know how to swipe to grandparents immersed in their iPhones at the table (I saw it in a cafe yesterday).
Step 4.
Observe how much bloody better your life is with less smart phone in it.
Step 5.
Continue. Forever.
If there was one thing that you could do in 5 seconds that I can guarantee will change your life (and, literally, the structure of your brain), it’s this.
