Have you ever thought about what a day away from your phone or electronic devices would be like? 

I have been thinking about something my parents asked me recently: “How would you find that out if you didn’t have your phone?” This then led to a longer talk about how they didn’t have a phone at their fingertips every second of the day when they were my age. 

At some point, we’ve all heard a story like this from someone “older.” For better or worse, we have grown up having phones, iPads, even iPods available to us our entire lives. We use them daily to search things up, to message one another, to take mini photo shoots, and to instantly upload to social media.  With my parents’ words in mind, I decided to challenge myself to a day without a phone, and I also eliminated all use of any handheld electronic devices.

And I lived to tell the tale.

It’s crazy to think that the average teen is on their phone for an average of 9 hours every day. From the start, I knew it was not going to be easy. I look at my phone every morning to check the time and the weather.

On this particular morning, I had already turned my phone off when I went to bed, so I wouldn’t be tempted. However, when I woke up, I still reached for my phone, but then I remembered that today there was no phone. 

I looked outside and saw it was cloudy. That was a plus, as I knew it wouldn’t be too hot. The morning without my phone went smoothly. I did my regular Saturday morning chores. It was in the afternoon that I really felt the loss of my device. 

I felt disconnected from my friends. What were they up to? Had they tried to text me? Ehhh, probably not, since I told them I wasn’t using my phone today. 

My mind began to think back on funny TikToks I had recently scrolled through. I wondered which ones I would’ve been tagged in. 

I ended up spending the day lingering around the house. I realized I had never really opened all the cupboards in my home. So, I went around looking in the hallway cupboards, the ones in the kitchen and in the living room, and then back to look through the ones in my room. 

Instead of chillin’ on my bed with my phone, I opened up my closet. I cleaned my room without being reminded. (Hahah. I know, terrible. Now I’m upping the expectation of my mom.) 

It’s okay though, because I rearranged my clothes, organized my variety of Vans, and cleaned out my room. I also got distracted by the random things I found. I looked at an old McDonald’s toy and found my old rainbow loom deep in my closet. (Yes, they still exist. Don’t judge me…) I entertained myself by making bracelets until my puppy started to try to eat the bands.

That led me to take my puppy out for a walk. But then I realized that I didn’t have my phone to play music. 

To be honest, it wasn’t terrible being outside without my phone. I did miss shooting a few cute puppy pics, but that’s okay. There will be many more days when I can take pictures…with my phone! 

Eventually, we came home and just finished the evening…

I cheated though: I had promised myself to go 24 hours without a phone, so I technically was able to get back on mine at 11pm. (Phew, haha.) 

Upon reflection, I will say this: without my phone, I accomplished a lot. Would I go another day without it? Probably. Not regularly. I realize that every once in a while, it is healthy to disconnect and spend some time on my own. 

I took away from this experience that, while I do rely on my phone for many tasks, I can still survive and get around without one. You should try it! See if you feel empowered, like I did, by the fact that you can go a day without your phone! 

I promise you’ll be okay. And maybe you might end up with a new rainbow bracelet. As long as your dog doesn’t eat it.