Have you ever gone someplace, and realized you didn't have your phone? That's an "Oh, Sh-- moment" for most of us.
It certainly was form me last Tuesday afternoon, as I was headed to the airport for a 5-day business trip to Paris.
Yeah, yeah, I hear you ... "How the heck do you forget your phone when you're leaving home for a week?!?" Just ask me sometime, and I'll gladly tell you. (It can happen to anyone over the age of 31.)
But like the stranger in the chairlift told me nearly 40 years ago, in every problem, there's an equal or greater opportunity. Once I performed a little mental triage, I was in a better position to enjoy life without my cell phone. Seriously.
Stay with me for another minute, and you'll see. But first, let's walk through that triage process...
Managing the Mental Crisis
Once I was sure that I didn't have my phone (e.g. is wasn't on silent and tucked inside by briefcase), I methodically evaluated the degree of damage, and devised a contingency plan. It went something like this:
What functions do I perform on my phone?
I call M.A. and work colleagues, do email, access documents in DropBox, read the news, take photos, read and post to social media, check the weather, request an Uber, navigate via GPS and online subway maps, text with Jim & Shea, log stuff in Evernote, and more. Yup, there's a whole lot of stuff that I do with my phone when I travel.
How many of those functions will be essential for this trip?
I was going to an annual company meeting, and all my colleagues would be there. So, I'd only need to make calls to M.A. I had my laptop, so I could use it for email. I'd still need to access local transportation (the Uber, GPS, subway maps).
How many of those essential functions could I perform without my phone? (100%).
When I needed (or wanted) to make a call, I could use a colleague's phone. Even most strangers will gladly help a person in phone need. We often overlook that.
In situations where I'd normally order an Uber or Lyft, I could hail a taxi. Yes, taxis still exist, and you can order one just by waving your arm.
And when I'd need to get around the Paris subway system, I could use a paper map. It might require a bit more mental navigational energy, but as my mother used to say, "Make a game out of it."
It would be like orienteering. There's nothing wrong with stretching your mental muscles now and then.
What I Learned from the Disconnected Experience
Living without conveniences can make us more resourceful.
Our lives have become so digitized that we rely on our phones for nearly everything but personal hygiene (though there's probably an app for that).
Navigating the past six days without the convenience of my cell phone caused me think more creatively in accomplishing small tasks that I'd normally manage through an app on my phone.
And there was something fulfilling about living in the late 20th century again. Being forced to regularly overcome 21st century inconveniences can make us more resourceful, and better at solving problems.
Shutting off the fire hose requires you to think more.
I did a lot of "meaningful thinking" the past five days. When you don't have your phone, your access to information feels cut off. With less information flowing into your mind, there's suddenly a mental void that needs to be filled. And that's where the opportunity happens.
We get to decide what content will fill the void.
And in that fleeting moment of choice, we can pause to identify our priorities. Our time is limited, yet we spend so much of it pre-occupied with things that really don't matter. When I had to "think about what to think about," I did so with greater intention, and a greater sense of purpose.
When your fast-thinking mind screams about a crisis, ask your slow-thinking mind, "What's the worse thing that can happen?"
We often allow ourselves to go into crisis mode what there really isn't a crisis. By taking a moment to assess the real situation, we can identify the true problem. And the act of thinking through solutions can leave us better prepared to handle the next crisis. That is, if it really is a crisis at all.
Thanks for reading!
Recent Comments