This piece is part of a short series in which I’m documenting my experience of putting myself on a phone diet. For a week, I’m publishing a short daily reflection on my experience.
Tuesday 14 February
Today, I’ve been on my phone more because New Zealand is being ravaged by Cyclone Gabrielle. I’ve been checking in on friends and family with messaging apps which are allowed on this particular diet (see “The Beginning”). I didn’t mention Google searches when I set up my phone rules for the week. It didn’t occur to me because I don’t do a lot of searches but, today, I’m searching rather compulsively.
I’ve also had the tv on and used my laptop a lot more today, searching for updates on the weather, power outages and road closures etc. I even turned the volume of the tv up while I washed the dishes and prepared dinner so I could hear the latest news from the kitchen - which is stretching the rules a little as it’s not much different from listening on my phone. I wouldn’t want that to turn into a habit although it seemed permissible today.
On another note, The Te Reo Maori language book I’ve started working through while I wait for my boys at school pickup has links to YouTube videos in it, teaching pronunciation. Accessing those would be a good and justifiable use of my phone normally but it’s not within the rules of this diet so I didn’t watch them today. I’d quite like to leave my phone at home for school pickup to encourage me to keep up with my Te Reo but it’s a time of day when I’m more likely to be contacted. I had a call from my youngest’s teacher today while I was waiting for him regarding which way he was to leave the school as his usual route was closed because of tree damage from the storm.
These phones have their uses. For me, it’s just about making sure I use mine, it doesn’t use me.
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