The Freedom Experiment: What Happens When You Leave Your Phone in Another Room?

As with anything in life usually the most simplest of actions produce the BEST results.

The question is; How often do we actually DO the SIMPLE actions?

A SIMPLE EXPERIMENT

Here is a simple experiment I challenge you to TRY. Some of you may already be doing it (*insert applause here*). For some however, the SIMPLICITY of this experiment will only come with the premise of it. The implementation of the experiment however may not be quite as simple - but hopefully eye opening.

For this experiment, all you have to do is leave your phone in another room (or elsewhere) and go do whatever it is you're going to do.

-If you're going to watch TV, leave your phone in another room

(turn your notification sounds off so you can't hear it if you're within earshot)

-If you're going to read a book outside, leave your phone inside

-If you're going to have dinner with your family, leave your phone in your bedroom

... you get the idea.

*Note - Turning your sound off but still having your phone nearby DOESN'T count for this experiment. "Out of sight, out of mind" is what we're going for.

A SIMPLE ACTION CAN CREATE FREEDOM

I discuss this feeling in a past blog post where whenever we go backcountry camping, I get such a recharge and sense of freedom because I disconnect from devices and technology for a few days. Granted this experiment is quicker, but the feeling/outcome is the same.

I've done this a couple times in the past few days and it's a such a simple way to get such a refreshing freedom feeling out of whatever I'm choosing to do at that time. Following a busy 7-weeks of coaching where I was constantly "on", this little action has reminded me of the importance to resetting and slowing down after bouts of intense effort/work.

Here's what we are reminded of when we put this simple action into practice:

-Life goes on.

The world does not crumble if you are unavailable for minutes, hours or even days.

-Humans are not meant to be available 24/7

-Human physiology needs to balance work and recovery

-We tend to feel better inside and out when we disconnect for a while

-We enjoy whatever it is we're doing at that time to a much greater extent (watching our favourite show/movie, reading, doing an activity) when we are not allowing our devices to distract us

-We practice FOCUS rather than practice DISTRACTION

We are in constant states of distraction even during our "down time". We are more often than not a slave to our devices and technology.

PRACTICE small bouts of FREEDOM, ACTION, CHOICE and FOCUS.

DAILY and OFTEN.

You will LOVE what it GIVES YOU.

Go put your phone in another room and be unavailable... right now... even just for 30min or so. You'll love the feeling and hopefully will continue "the experiment".