10. Money, Money, Money: We saved around $150.00 a month when we gave up two data plans and a monthly cell phone bill. This doesn't include the impulsive purchases we make on our phones.We have made changes to our plan and although we won't be saving as much, we ail still be saving money.
9. A Great Conversation Starter: My husband and I are both considered "tech savvy" people in our respective arenas so, people would always want to know, "What happened to your phone" when the flip phone was pulled out. We both found that most people struggled with similar issues and admired our discipline to giving up our phones to improve our quality of life.
8. It Wasn't Attached to My Hand: Sometimes it is just a good idea to leave your cell phone at home and disconnect. It was a lot easier to do this with a flip phone.
7. Increased Awareness: Not constantly having my phone out, helped me to see how often people are on there phones. I noticed it in meetings, at restaurants, and everywhere I went. To be honest, I was astonished at how rude people were when texting/facebooking/tweeting/etc. through a meeting or dinner. I know I was that person before. I will not be that person now. If I notice that I'm doing this consistently, I vow to go back to the "non-smart" phone.
6. No Notifications: Seeing the little red circle with a number of missed calls, messages, emails, etc. causes me anxiety. I find myself getting anxious and wanting to see what's going on no matter what I'm doing. Not having those notifications was a welcome reprieve and one that I will continue.
5. Less Wasted Time: You know what happens when you take a five-minute break from working and check your phone. Well, maybe it doesn't happen to you, but I would check Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, ESPN, the news, read a little bit of a book and then two hours later worry about all the time I've wasted. Again. If I start doing this again, I will be returning to a "non-smart" phone.
4. A Break from Twitter: As I said in the 10 Things I Missed The Most, I have a love/hate relationship with Twitter. I have learned so much and connected with awesome professionals on Twitter, but I have also wasted a ton of time on Twitter. This break has helped me develop parameters around what I will do with my phone. One of the boundaries I am implementing for now is… No Social Media Apps on my phone. Gasp. I know, I know.
3. Work Email: When I was in college working on a paper or assignment in the evening, I would email my professor. Now, this happens to me and I want to address issues immediately. This means that I end up working all the time with no boundaries. I didn't get email on my phone during the digital detox and I will not be add my work email to my iPhone. Boundaries.
2. Lived in the Moment: It was awesome to live in the moment and not be thinking about the issue with an online test or a student that needs a response. I have learned to appreciate living in the present in a way that I never have before.
1. Quality Time with My Husband: Finally and most importantly. The relationship between my husband and I has improved. We can be completely engaged with each other instead of hanging out with each other and our phones. I was awful about giving my full attention because I was always so distracted. I refuse to let a device distract me from my family and loved ones.
While there were several things that I did not like about the digital detox, I must say that, it has been an awesome experience. I refuse to neglect the real word for the world in my smart phone. I am an advocate for smart technology use, but I encourage everyone to try a digital detox for a small time period. Now that I've had this experience I believe I can enjoy the perks of a smart phone without neglecting the most important things in my life. I am so grateful that my husband did this with me. I am a lucky girl.
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