Inching Towards Analog

Reclaiming rest in the digital dystopia

The Detour

Our phones. We all complain about how much we hate them and judge others for always being on them, but there we are, doom scrolling an hour or two before bed, texting and driving and checking email first thing our eyes open. Because the phone is always near, our bodies are never truly at rest. It’s always waiting for the ping or chime of another notification: a sound that tells our brains to release dopamine because, “You matter. Someone is engaging with you.” Most of the developed world has fallen into a collective addiction. One that most of us recognize but refuse to get help for.

The Recalculation

A certain level of anxiety has crept into most of our lives, and not just because our country is goose-stepping toward fascism, circa Germany 1939. I think it also has to do with our obsession with our phones. It’s bad enough that most people take their phones to the toilet with them, but the bedroom is where we’re supposed to “reboot our systems”, the one place designated for rest and relaxation. If we’re not getting it there, we’re probably not getting it anywhere.

The Tool

Enter the fix: the good old fashioned alarm clock. Refuse to allow your smart phone through the door of your bedroom. Set it to go on Do Not Disturb at a set time. You can set the Do Not Distrub to allow chosen numbers to ring through, people you want to be able to get in touch with you in case of an emergency. All other notifications will be silenced. You will be rewarded with better sleep, slower mornings and a sense of spaciousness you’ve not had in years. I promise you will notice the difference. At first you may go through withdraws, it may feel uncomfortable, like something is missing. Because something IS missing, a small electronic device that is sucking away your time, your presence and your very life.

From the Front Seat

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” —Anne Lamott