Do you know that you won't die if you don't touch your phone or your computer for one week ?

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I wouldn't have wanted to imagine a week without either my computer or my smart phone, but I had to since this question ( "how would you cope without a phone or computer for one week, how will that week go for you ?" )
which is the crux of my discourse today requires that I do so.

I've have become so attached and addicted to the computer and my phone, so much that I can't let it out of my side for more than a minute. I even want to use it when it's charging. My phone has become the first thing I look out for whenever I wake up from sleep and the last thing I also check out before I sleep.
Sometimes I would feel like I can't survive without it.

My phone is my bestfriend and keeps me company whenever I'm bored. It's my informant, it's my fitness trainer, my office and also my personal assistant.

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This just shows how I have become so attached and seemingly helpless without my phone. I would normally think that I really can cope with losing by phone, that I may even die, but recalling an incident that happened years back, I realized that humans survived and lived very well before the advent of phones and we would always survive and won't die if we didn't have our phones for a week.

Two years ago during the times of the covid-19 outbreak, when the country was shutdown and movements restricted. I was indoors for days and couldn't do a lot of the things I loved and had planned to do. It was like life was paused.
Life became abnormal, boring and depressing, but I found solace in my gadgets. My laptop wasn't handy but I had my phone. I became more attached and obsessed with my phone like never before. It was the only way I could manage and handle such difficult times. It helped me alot, both in my work, social life and even in my spiritual and religious life.

It helped me get my mind off the fear inciting news from the television and the negative thoughts that it generated in my mind. It also helped me connect with my friends and loved ones.

Whilst the pandemic continued and the negativities that came with it like death and lockdowns persisted, my phone was there to give my mind something else to feed on. My phone distracted my mind from everything and it kept me a bit stable.

Few weeks into the crisis and lockdown, my phone developed a fault and couldn't come on again. I was frustrated. I didn't know what to do. The phone repairers had also packed up and no longer came out for work due to the lockdown. I was just helpless

I felt like a drug addict in a rehab deprived from drugs. I was restless and uncomfortable always trying and hoping my phone would come on even though I knew it wouldn't.
It wasn't really easy for me, I would go beg my siblings for their phones and they wouldn't oblige because they had also gotten attached and obsessed with their phones too.

Although I lost a few bucks, I had to learn to cope and I did cope eventually.

I was once again reminded that change is the only thing that is constant and also humans are built to adapt and have a survival instincts.

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So how did I cope ?

These are the things that helped me cope and adapt to my new reality. They can help you cope with not having your phone for a week ;

I DID THINGS MANUALLY:

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I had to read the newspaper or watch the television whenever I needed to hear news about what was happening in the country.
I slept earlier and trained my body to wake up when I needed to since i no longer had an alarm clock
I did my scheduling on a physical diary.
I employed the services of fitness trainers whenever I needed to workout.

READING

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I began trying other stuffs like reading the Bible and other motivational books and they really helped me a lot. I bought hardcopy books and I found time to study them as I was no longer distracted by my phones

GAMES

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I played games with my family members and it even helped me bond with them better.
I even learnt to play Scrabble so well that I later I became one best in my university and in my State.

I PAID ATTENTION TO MY FAMILY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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I took the time to focus my attention on my environment and my family more than I ever did before. I helped out more at home, I helped with house works, I was more attentive to family issues and to the issues in my environment. Giving my parents attention made them so happy and I was happy too

I CEASED THE TIME TO EVALUATE MY LIFE

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This was the best part of it. I took the time to reflect on my life and plan for the future. The misfortune turned out to be a blessing. The times without my phone turned out to become a time of retreat, a time of sober reflection, a time to think critically about the past and plan for the years ahead.

So at the end I did cope and everything turned out perfect. I passed through these stages after I didn't have my phone ;

The first stage was feeling restless like a drug addict and trying to use other people's gadget.

The second stage was when I tried to cope and had to do things manually and channel my attention and focus on other things like reading, games etc.

In The third stage I got used to not having a phone. I no longer cared. I was even happier and saner without it and my life continued normally.

How it ended

At the end I was really happy. I even found out that my phones had quite a lot negative effects on my life as it had positive effects too.

I found out that I became calmer and much more thoughtful than before. I became less under pressure and much more mentally stable and saner than before. I realized that I needed the break from my phone. I also had my life planned out and now had a direction for my new life. I experienced peace. It was like I was free from some bondage.

I realized that the videos I had always watched and ill things I had read through my phone was one of the reasons I was mentally unstable and so much under pressure to get stuffs. I realized my phone was a negative influence too and I learnt to manage how I used my new phone.

At the end it all ended well. I lost my phone and I didn't die but found myself. I just realized that I can and would definitely cope without my phone.

Thank you all for stopping by. I hope you found this interesting. I look forward to seeing your questions and contributions on the comment section.
Until next time, Have a nice day♥️♥️