The Question of How to Unplug

I recently caught myself drifting away from a conversation at dinner with my friends only to scroll through my Instagram feed to “like” someone doing the exact same thing. And with a perfectly positioned picture, their meal was a bit more pleasing to the eye than our makeshift—yet delicious—taco night. I remember thinking to myself, they must be great friends; they’re really having a good time.

But so were we. These days, my friends and I are steering our way through our mid twenties, and happy hours, workout classes and dinners are the way we stay connected. But more often than not, our phones tag along with us at the bar, on the spin bike and at the dinner table. There are times when I look down at the table and see three, four, five phones next to our plates, all threatening to disrupt our “catch-up” time with a single notification. And we totally let them.

I’m 100% guilty like the rest.  When I saw this photo a few weeks ago, I couldn’t believe how true the message was.  I don’t know if I could ever say that I’m completely “unplugged.” I’m guilty of keeping my phone in arm’s length at all times. And somehow, I justify it most of the time for one reason or another. But whatever the reason is, it’s usually mindless and it almost always can wait.  

While the struggle is real, I can recognize the problem, and I’m slowly making strides to kick this bad habit. During the time I spend with friends and family away from my phone, I find a renewed sense of self and fulfillment in the little things. Simple things like leaving the phone in the car while visiting the farmer’s market with my boyfriend or going on a walk with a friend without our phones ground me. If I go too long without making the intentional effort to disconnect, even in those small moments, I become stressed, anxious and often at fault for comparing myself to others. Ultimately, I miss out on the moments and memories I want the most. 

Can you relate? How do you remain intentional about living in the moment? What are your answers on how to unplug?  I’d love to hear in the comments below.  Cheers, Kat