Living in the moment
03 Jul 2017
Enjoying the view and a pint of Mythos beer in Greece. No phone needed.
You know it is temporary. You will get back to routine life and back to all the worries, fears and thoughts that creep in again. That is why a holiday forces you to enjoy every moment — to soak in as much as you can as it is going to be going away soon. And what better than to go on a complete internet/information diet. A mental detox of sorts. It is just so relaxing and therapeutic.
I cut off from the Internet while away. My smartphone usage is at an all time low. I don’t carry my laptop. Just an iPad and phone. This time, I hardly used the iPad — it’s ok to leave that behind too. Here is typically what I do on the smartphone…
Shut off all notifications.
Skim once or twice through work and personal emails. If there is anything, I have asked my team to either call or WhatsApp me. Nothing usually happens.
Share photos on Instagram a few times in the day. (I couldn’t resist :) )
Dip into Facebook once a day.
WhatsApp a bit.
No news. No Twitter. No feeds. No newsletters. I get on a complete information diet.
Rest of the smartphone usage is all Google Maps (best traveling app ever) and a bit of Chrome for general research about the place.
When I am back, there is this vacuum created the first few days. Getting back to work takes a bit of time. But after a couple of days, I am back and how! Refreshed and ready to take on any challenge.
Seriously, why stick your head into your phone when you can live in the present, seize the moment and enjoy the view.