My teens had one major aspect that is so missing in the today’s version of myself.  I didn’t have a mobile phone so my world was very different and I could spend hours watching sunset, take hour long walks, talk to friends on landlines and even make plans the previous day or a week earlier and be committed to it. A week ago, my phone drained out, exhausted largely by my obsession to be updated on news, my urges to listen to intelligent and interesting podcasts, my constant urge to check whatsapp and so on.

But soon I realized how dependent I had become on this gadget. Mind you, I am one of the individuals who uses largely cash and uses digital payments once or twice a week. Yet I felt caged. My phone I found out at the authorized service centre that it needs a battery replacement. Now I put whatsapp on my personal computer and I find it much more convenient this way. I didn’t check notifications often on whatsapp on the computer. I have a vehicle yet I felt if there is a need to use uber anywhere how could I do? Midweek I started carrying portable charger and realized this was a draining habit for me and the phone.

The urge to lose pictures was another worrying concern for me. A week of largely having a phone that was not completely functional taught me a few things. Get back to pre mobile life to the extent possible. Use again more of own transport, public transport and move around the city without thinking about vehicles that require internet booking. Lastly take lesser pictures. Not everything requires to be captured and shared or seen again. It can be experienced once and leave it at that feeling to dwell.

Perhaps also time to go back to Pre smart phone model for communication.