The Tech Trap and My Mini-Digital Detox Tips 📵✨
Here is the truth: I hate my so-called “smart” phone. Everyone treats it like a lifeline, but to me, it feels more like a leash. It is supposed to connect me to the world, yet it mostly makes me slower. Instead of thinking for myself, I tap a screen and wait for the answers to appear. Instead of enjoying the quiet click of knitting needles, the smell of bread baking, or the calm of watering plants, I stack pressure I do not need. I take photos of every row, snap shots of every loaf, and churn out “content” for half a dozen platforms before the moment even cools in my hands.
Simple joys used to be my pause button. Now they feel like a book report. Someone please take my smart phone away from me.
Always On, Never Free
Some days it feels like I am on call for the internet. Miss a call? People think I have disappeared. Do not answer a text in five minutes? Someone is convinced I am gone. Meanwhile, my cousin tracks me like I am a tagged sea turtle (and while it is nice that someone cares I am alive, it also means I am never truly unattended). The “freedom” of being connected everywhere really just means I am never left alone.
I want to knit on my porch without guilt. I want to cook dinner without someone buzzing in my pocket. I want to just be. I want to hear silence instead of the constant ding of reminders telling me I am behind.
The End of Wonder
I remember when I could look up at the sky and say, “I wonder what that star is called?” and then just… wonder. Now my instinct is to shove the question into a search bar. The mystery vanishes before it has time to become magical. Technology killed wonder. The internet gave me every answer, but in exchange it stole the fun of thinking about it first.
Even my brain feels slower. I type clumsily now, because autocorrect babysits my spelling and AI tries to predict what I will say. It is too easy to just select the prediction. The more I use it, the less sharp I feel. Technology is stealing not just my attention, but my skills.
What I Do (My Little Secret) 🤫
It is not enough, but here is what I do. I put my phone on sleep mode early and keep it there until late. That way, I get time without the constant buzzing and chirping. People think I am lazy or sleeping too much, but really I am sneaking in a bite of pre-smartphone freedom. Giving myself permission to step away has helped me feel calmer and sharper.
When the phone is asleep, I go analog. I keep a real pencil and a real notebook handy. I jot down ideas on paper before I ever hand them over to a screen. When I start uninfluenced, I stay in charge of my own voice. Then, if I decide to share later, it is truly mine (not something tech tried to write for me). Is it perfect that way? No. Is it me? Absolutely.
Choosing Joy, Not Chains
I do not want my joy filtered through a screen. I want it to come from wool running through my fingers, bread cooling on the counter, dirt under my nails after a day in the garden, or the satisfaction of “just one more row.” And, I want to enjoy these things because I love them, not because the algorithm demands proof of them this week.
Technology is here to stay, but that does not mean I have to let it own me. Some days, the bravest thing I can do is shut off the stupid smart phone, pick up the needles, knead the dough, or water the tomatoes. And sometimes the most radical act is choosing not to post proof that it happened.
Because freedom is not in the palm of my hand. It is in my hands (wrapped in yarn, covered in flour, or smudged with soil). And that is enough.
And maybe that is the good news: the choice is mine. I can keep my skills sharp, protect my wonder, and find real connection in the things I make with love. The phone will still be there when I need it. But my hands remind me who I am when I put it down.
And if you happen to call while my phone is off, you will need to leave me an old-school voicemail or send a text. Otherwise, I will not even know you tried. (Consider this your friendly reminder that my digital detox comes with caller ID amnesia.) 😉 ☎️
Want more cozy calm?
You can read my other posts or learn to knit with me here at PurlsAndPixels.com. Start small, grab a pattern, or just peek at my free beginner lessons. The yarn, the needles, and the quiet are waiting for you.
🧣 Learn to Knit: Free Knitting Lessons from Start to Finish
🧶 Knitting, Wellness, and the Science of Flow
🛁 How to Knit a Washcloth: A Beginner-Friendly Tutorial
🙏 Gratitude Blanket Pattern: Cozy Comfort for Every Home
🍂 5 Easy Fall Knits to Cast On Now
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