Whether you are at a public restaurant, a coffee shop, waiting in line at the airport or bank, or around the family dinner table, you will see people focused on their phones, messages, chatting, and posting pictures of delicious food on Instagram. “ I can rarely remember the last time I saw my teenager without a phone in her hand,” one mom called Sarah said. “She texts so much; her phone is practically a part of her body.” So many people—parents and kids alike—are feeling mentally and physically exhausted and “phone-overwhelmed”. What’s the solution to this problem?

Make a plan. Choose specific times(say, 8 a. m. , 12 a. m. , and 4 p. m.)when you intend to “check in” to read texts, social media updates, and so on, and then do your best to stick to the plan. Try not to just “wing it”. Create phone-routines that help you to create the kind of day(and life)that you want.

Savor the sound of silence. If your phone is continually bleeping and pinging every time” something happens”, it’s going to be tough for you to stay focused on whatever you’re trying to do—you’ll be tempted to check in and see what’s up! Turn the volume on your phone down to zero or power down your phone completely. If you’re concerned that you might miss something important—like an emergency phone from your parents or your boss—you can create a “call filter(过滤器)” so that certain people’s calls come through even if your phone is on “silent”. That way you can rest easy, knowing that you will never miss something that is truly urgent. 

Enjoy phone-free adventures. A few times a week, try leaving your phone safely at home. Go for a phone-free walk with your dog, a phone-free date with your sweetheart, or a phone-free trip to the grocery store. When was the last time you did that?

See how it feels to move freely through the world without the digital “companion” for a while. It must be a valuable experience that can help you enjoy the real world.