As I sat at the park, wind blowing, leaves wrinkling beneath me, and no technology around, I thought to myself, Why don’t I do this more often? Everytime I go outside with the sole purpose of just being outside I always feel rejuvenated and prepared to take on the tasks that I need to complete. It’s a combination of no phone and being outdoors that really allows my brain to relax and think by itself. For an embarrassing amount of my day I sit on my phone and scroll on and on with no actual purpose, and it doesn’t help me grow at all. 

When I stay up to ridiculous hours on my phone, I don’t get the sleep that I need to have a productive following day which annoys me but I continue to do it over and over again. As I spend my time on various social media apps, I know that I’m not really gaining anything from being on them. I’m not getting any smarter, making any money, or working on myself in any way. In fact, it feels that I am going in the opposite direction. Just like everyone else, I compare myself to the pictures I see online in terms of body image, lifestyle, and travel. Social media profiles can look like perfect picturesque lives, but in reality no one’s life is like that. 

It seems to be more and more apparent to me that I just have my phone with me as a safety net. If I’m bored, want to procrastinate, or am in an uncomfortable situation, it’s second nature to pick up my phone to keep myself distracted. I am going to try to develop a healthier habit that involves reaching for a book instead of my phone, or just sitting and observing what is around me to give my brain a break.