Last night I found myself lying on the sofa with my phone plugged into the wall charger, holding on at just 3% battery. While I was there, intensely scrolling, it hit me how addicted I’ve become to my phone. My brain is so used to constant stimulation that I just couldn’t put my phone down.
My brain is so trained for constant stimulation that putting it down feels impossible. I reach for it during everything. Cleaning? I’ve got a podcast in my ears. Cooking? YouTube is playing in the background. Washing dishes? Yep, my phone is propped on the window sill so I can watch my favourite Netflix series while I scrub. And of course, the endless social media scroll before bed.
Now, let me clarify: I’m a millennial, born in the 90s, back when smartphones phones weren’t even a thing. I remember a time when connecting to the internet meant waiting ten minutes of weird dial-up noises just to log into Hi5 or MSN. And here I am in my 30s, a grown adult, struggling to imagine life without unlimited data in my pocket.
The irony? In trying to stay connected to the world, I often feel completely disconnected from it. And I know I’m not the only one. The number of times I’ve promised myself I’d spend less time on my phone is honestly too embarrassing to admit. Even with the numerous time limits, app deletions, new digital ‘detox’ rules that I set for myself, I’ve never kept those promises.
It seems that I have trained my brain to always need something to focus on, and I don’t even know how to sit in silence anymore.
I use my phone for everything: checking emails, paying bills, booking flights, texting, watching shows, taking notes, making shopping lists, planning my life on Google Calendar, taking photos – the list is endless. And I can’t help but wonder: was this really meant for us? How much more can our brains handle? How much has society changed already, and will it just get worse? Honestly, it’s scary.
After a lot of failed promises, I’ve stopped telling myself I’ll quit. I know I won’t. I get bored too easily.
So instead of trying to completely stop, I’ve decided to be more mindful about what I feed my brain. If I’m going to be occupied, I’d rather it not be endless TikToks of strangers sweeping leaves off the road or making hideous crafts (don’t ask). Instead, I want to spend more time listening to educational podcasts (right now, The Diary of a CEO is a favourite), researching topics I actually care about like tech, AI, art, photography, travel, and self-development.
To keep myself accountable, I’m starting something new. I’ve decided to create “cheat notes,” where I’ll collect key concepts, ideas and summaries from the things I’m learning. Since I already work in MarTech, most of these will probably be around technology, AI, and LLMs, which is why I’m starting a new section on my website called Tech Talk. It’ll be a place to keep everything in one spot.
Honestly, it makes me feel a little like a student again, gathering notes for an essay or cramming for a test – only this time, it’s because I actually want to learn. So keep an eye out for my first Tech Talk blogs. I hope you enjoy them.
