One of the books I have been reading this summer is: How To Break Up With Your Phone: The 30 Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price. This book is a step by step guide to cultivating a better relationship with your smartphone and all other digital devices. According to Price's book, Americans check their phone on average 47 times a day and half of us check our phones at night. Since the pandemic, many of us (myself included!) became even more addicted to our smartphones and other digital devices and media such as Netflix, etc.

Since I've been in Peru, I'm doing less phone and more fun! I use my smartphone and digital devices far less than I do when I'm at home. For one, I have limited cell data for international travel so I'm not inclined to get on my phone while I'm out of the house unless it's absolutely necessary. I have a set number of hours I'm working each week and I log onto my computer for this. Outside of my work hours, I'm engaged and busy with the people and places around me so I'm not very tempted at all to get on my digital devices.

The trick will be to see if I can maintain this kind of relationship with my phone and digital devices when I return to the States in 10 days. For this reason, I'm taking to heart the tips listed in Catherine Price's book. 

Here are 5 tips that Price recommends in her book:

1. Reframe how you think about your phone and digital devices. Often we equate using our phone or digital devices as pleasurable, but what we don't think about is all of the other pleasurable activities we miss out on doing when we are on our digital devices. Less phone can be more fun!

2. Assess your current relationship with your phone. Do you know how much you use your phone or other digital device? There are apps that measure this. Get a clear idea of your phone usage so you can be in the driver's seat, so to speak, of your tech use.

3. Create speed bumps. It's fast and easy to pick up your phone and scroll or check. "Speed bumps" is the term Price uses for small obstacles that you can create to slow down so that if you do check your phone it's a conscious choice. One "speed bump" is to put a rubber band around your phone to help you be more mindful of your phone use.

4. Pay attention to your body. When you're using your phone, notice your posture, your breathing, how you feel. Ask yourself if you like how you are feeling. Does being on your phone make you feel good? Why or why not?

5. Set boundaries. Price recommends turning off notifications and taking off apps that you know you are time-wasters for you. You can also use technology (apps) to help protect you from technology.

For many more tips and strategies and a 30-day plan to reset your relationship with your phone, you may wish to check out the book: How To Break Up With Your Phone: The 30 Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price.

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