“Life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
Reduce Your Phone Use:
The cellular phone is an invention that has added much to our lives. It’s enabled us to communicate on-the-go, plan for change, and pass along short messages when talking is not possible. In recent years, smartphones have created exponential new uses out of our cellular devices. From alarm clock to calculator, web browser to camera to GPS navigator, it has become a handy toolbox of modern life. Whether walking down the street, on the subway, or in the office building, no one is phased at the sound of the buzz or ding signaling an incoming message, calendar notification, or missed phone call. More people in the world today have mobile phones than toilets. With such ease and utility, cell phones have literally become attached at our hips– sitting on constant standby in our pockets and purses, boardroom tables and bedside nightstands. One phone app reports its 4.5K+ users check their phones 2-3 times every waking hour.

Today, reduce your phone use. Keep it powered off or on silent, and check it briefly for limited intervals throughout the day. Leave it in your desk drawer, tucked away in your car, or at home altogether, and notice how many times you feel compelled to reach for and check it.