I didn’t think that the 24 hour challenge would be that difficult since I would be able to (and was planning on) using my laptop during the challenge. I am a sophomore in college with few responsibilities. I could check my texts, view my calendar, and do pretty much anything that I would conceivably do on my phone on my laptop. This ultimately did feel like cheating, but I tried to restrain myself from texting on my laptop throughout the day to simulate a day without instantaneous communication as much as possible. However, I was relegated to communicate at a more specific time and place than I would have if I had access to my phone. If I had not used my laptop, I would have had to make many accommodations to get through the day.
I decided to not use my phone on Monday. The only commitment I had during the day was a small group meeting for a class, and I had not made any lunch or dinner plans with friends. I honestly did not really need to be as aware of the time as I would have been with more commitments. I only told my mom and one friend that I was doing the challenge, since I would still be able to answer texts via iMessage if necessary.
I started the challenge twice. I originally planned to not use my phone from when I got into bed and turned off the lights on Sunday night until the same time on Monday evening. However, I had forgotten to a.) charge my physical alarm clock and b.) had set an alarm on my phone to wake up at 7am out of habit. I started the challenge at 7am on Monday as a result, after I turned off the (many) alarms set on my phone.
I go down rabbit holes on the Internet at two key times: when procrastinating and when I can’t fall asleep. I sometimes have very bad insomnia. When I feel too tired to fully engage with content but not tired enough to fall asleep, I will essentially “scroll myself to sleep” rather than reading a book since it feels like less mental effort. I couldn’t reach across my desk to grab my phone when I couldn’t fall asleep on Monday, but did actually fall asleep after lying in the dark for a while. What a concept!
The type of device definitely influences my level of procrastination – functionality wise, my phone is a smaller, more accessible, more addictive version of my laptop with even more features. I definitely procrastinate more with my phone than with my iPad or computer. It feels like a whirlpool that I am sucked into – I lose most awareness of the outside world when I hold the small device up to my face. I only use my iPad to read class readings or take notes. I do sometimes procrastinate on my computer, but I am more conscious when I am doing it.
I don’t have any social media apps installed on my phone besides messaging platforms. However, I do have a (bad) habit of looking at different news sites and public TikToks and Tweets as my main form of procrastination. I open Safari, look at a currently open tab or search something that pops into my head (like a TikTok account or tag that I was looking at earlier), and hop from link to link to link to link mindlessly reading things that are interesting to me until too much time has passed and a wave of anxiety has washed over me. I actually don’t check on my own social media accounts that often because when I am logged into a platform, I feel more compelled to check it and engage (I haven’t logged into Instagram or Facebook since November). I check social media accounts related to people I know consciously, but I check TikToks and public tweets with reckless abandon – these platforms admittedly do act as some of my most relied upon news sources.
When I felt like I needed a break while working on Monday, I actually read one of the books that I checked out from the library a few weeks ago to provide myself with a better option than going down an Internet rabbit hole as a break. I felt very refreshed after reading some of Jia Tolentino’s essays in Trick Mirror on actual, physical paper instead of on the screen of my phone on The New Yorker website.
I admittedly felt frustrated during the 15 minute walk to and from my class meeting. I had thought of a song that I was excited to listen to right before leaving and suddenly realized that I could not listen to music while walking. I don’t call many people unless I am texting them and the conversation becomes more involved and time-sensitive, but I do call my mom too often. I missed being able to call her.
The three things I missed most about having my phone easily accessible can be met by using other devices or analog items:
• Music and podcasts (iPod, except I love Spotify and the ability to stream music)
• The ability to check the time/have notifications from my calendar (watch + physical planner)
• The ability to call (a flip phone would do)
Since I try to use my phone consciously (except when I am procrastinating), the challenge did not feel super different from any other day in terms of working and communicating with people. However, I did not go anywhere where I would have felt more comfortable knowing that my phone was on me and did not need to use my phone to navigate anywhere. Not being able to use my phone can prohibit me from immediately doing things that I need or “need” to do, as well as things that I actually enjoy and miss.