I always thought my morning walk was just exercise until I tried leaving my phone at home

For months I'd walk my dog around the neighborhood park while scrolling through news and emails. Last Tuesday I forgot my phone and just walked. I noticed the specific way the light hit the old oak tree on Maple Street, and I actually heard the birds instead of just seeing them. The difference wasn't about the steps, it was about being present in my own head for those twenty minutes. Has anyone else tried a tech-free version of a normal routine and been surprised by what you actually noticed?

3 comments

3 Comments

blair_taylor321mo ago

Honestly that "being present in your own head" sounds like a nightmare. I bring my phone specifically to not be stuck with my own thoughts for twenty minutes. The news and emails are a useful distraction from the boring parts of the routine. Noticing how light hits a tree is fine for a second, but then my brain would just start cycling through worries or a dumb song. I'd rather use that time to catch up on stuff and feel productive. The tech free version just sounds like wasting time you could have used to get things done.

karenh561mo ago

But what happens when you've caught up on all the stuff? The emails are cleared, the news is read. Do you ever find that the noise just gets filled with more noise, like another podcast or scrolling? It seems like the goal is to never have a quiet moment. I wonder if feeling productive on a commute is different from actually being productive, or if it just trains your brain to always need that next hit of information.

matthewdixon1mo ago

Try a five minute timer for quiet, then let yourself pick up the phone (it's less scary that way).