Survive Without a Cell Phone
In a technology-driven age, sometimes it can seem nearly impossible to function and survive without a cell phone. Being without a cell phone can make you feel as if you have been cut off from your friends and family, and from other events happening around the world and your life. Despite the cons to being without a cell phone (such as the inability to call someone in case of an emergency), there are many pros to not having constant access to a cell phone, including having more time to focus on goals and activities you enjoy, and complete freedom from individuals who can contact you at a moment's notice. Continue reading this article to learn all about how you can survive productively and happily without a cell phone.
Contents
Steps
Prepare Yourself for Survival without a Cell Phone
- Stop using the extra features of your cell phone. Activities such as instant messaging or text messaging, email, and browsing the Internet are extra features that you can stop using on your cell phone and perform elsewhere, such as on a computer.
- Use your cell phone to make phone calls when needed. For example, use the phone to make doctor's or business appointments, or use the phone to make plans with friends and family to spend time with them in person.
- Wean yourself off your cell phone. By gradually reducing the amount of time you spend on your cell phone, the sooner you may be able to acclimate to life without a cell phone.
- Begin by turning off your cell phone, or putting it aside for 1 or 2 days at a time, then gradually increase time spent away from your cell phone to a few weeks, then months, and so on.
- Establish a back-up plan for emergencies. There are several ways to make telephone calls or connect with others without a cell phone; such as using a landline telephone from your home or office, or using digital phone service on the Internet.
- Keep a cell phone in your car for emergencies. By law, most regions allow cell phones to dial emergency services free of charge even if the cell phone does not currently have service with a wireless provider.
- Sign up for an Internet phone service such as Skype, Vonage, or Google Voice, which are applications that allow you to make phone calls using the Internet.
Survive and Cope without a Cell Phone
- Replace your cell phone with other physical objects. This can be helpful if you are familiar with the weight or feel of the cell phone in your purse or pocket, or if you used your cell phone for purposes such as taking notes.
- Carry a portable music player, notepad, book, or similar object to take the place of your cell phone.
- Make detailed plans ahead of time with friends and family. With a cell phone, you may have had the ability to make plans on the road, or call your friends to arrange a meeting place after arriving at your destination. Without a cell phone, you will need to make more specific plans in advance.
- Determine the exact times and meeting places for appointments, get-togethers, and meetings when you have plans to meet friends, family members, or business colleagues.
- Inform your contacts about your new system for getting in touch. This can prevent your acquaintances from becoming frustrated, angry, or perplexed when they are unable to reach you, and can also prevent your loved ones from worrying about your well-being.
- Provide your acquaintances with information regarding the best methods for reaching you, whether it be at your email address, or during specific times at a landline telephone. Some landline service providers allow text messages to delivered in voice format to their landlines, your friends can use that if you are unreachable.
- Replace extracurricular cell phone time with other activities. For example, if your daily ritual was playing games on your phone or texting during your lunch hour, then read a book or magazine, or listen to music instead.
- Dedicate the time you spent on your cell phone to activities that improve your self-worth. This practice can be an ideal way to mentally cope without a cell phone in a positive manner. For example, apply the time you normally spent on a cell phone to going to the gym, educating yourself, or spending more time with your family.
Tips
- If you don't feel as if you can commit to surviving without a cell phone, start a journal that tracks the amount of time you spend performing all activities on your cell phone. After reviewing the journal, you can start planning how you can apply that block of time to doing other fun activities you enjoy.
