Nowadays, phones and the internet have become necessities for everyone. They make our lives more convenient, and getting information is no longer hard. But if we always stay lost in the world of algorithms, we may miss out on some more interesting things in real life.
What should we do?
At times like this, we can try to “put down our phones.” This is not just some old advice from our elders, but a way to take back control of our own attention.
What do we do after putting down the phone?
This is a question many people face when they set their phones aside. Without scrolling through videos or chatting with friends online, they feel like there is nothing to do.
Here are some examples you can try.
- Stare out the window for a full five minutes
Set a five-minute timer. Do not look at your phone, and do not read. Just look outside. In those five minutes, you can watch the clouds move, count how many cars pass by, see how the tree shadows sway, and listen to distant sounds. At first, you may feel bored or uneasy. But slowly, you will find your mind becoming calmer. - Copy down a passage of text
Find a piece of writing you like — a sentence from a book, or a poem — and write it down on paper with a pen. As you do this, feel the meaning of the words, and listen to the sound of the pen tip against the paper. Being lost in the world of paper and words feels completely different from the digital world. - Take a walk
Do not look at your phone, and do not wear earphones. You do not need a fixed route or a specific plan. Try to hear the wind, the cars, the birds. Look at the wildflowers and trees by the road. Notice the bricks under your feet. At first you may also feel bored, but slowly you will become absorbed in it.
The digital world is certainly interesting. But if it takes over all your time and life, you may miss the beauty outside of it. Putting down the phone is not about giving up the internet. It is about feeling reality and experiencing another kind of beauty that people have long overlooked.
