I Spent A Day Without My Phone And Trust Me, Our Lives Are So Much Easier WITH A Smartphone

Over the past couple of months, I’ve read multiple articles online preaching the ‘bliss’ of going offline; cutting yourself from the online connected internet and ‘rediscovering’ peace and meaning in life.

Sounded too good to be true. So I decided to give it a try.

“Challenge accepted”, I shouted to myself.

Here’s how things unfurled:

I called up my family and explained (especially to my mother lest she panics later) that I won’t be available on call the next day.

Next, I took a piece of paper and noted down all important phone numbers and that of my date (Alia). I switched off my phone and went to bed. “What can possibly go wrong”, I thought!

I was supposed to get up at 9 AM, because of my ‘no phone’ pledge, (no alarm basically), I got up at 10:15 AM. I was late for my date!

I quickly took a shower and thought of booking a cab. But I couldn’t use my phone. Damn! I rushed downstairs and frantically showed hands to maybe, say 10 autos…and finally got one.

‘Bhaiyya….Carter Road lena.’ And the auto-wallah had no clue just like me, he was new to the city. Argghhh!! Google Maps, I need you.

I usually catch up on social media, news, and updates during my commute. Today, I picked up a newspaper. But winds won’t let me read!

Spent 30 minutes, asking people for direction and reached. Took out a ₹500 note and he had no change. ‘Bhaiya online de do, mai accept karta hoon.’ Damn my life.

While entering the food joint, it suddenly struck me that I completely forgot to pick flowers. Alia mentioned during our chat that she loves white roses.
I’m a big fan of AI assisted personal assistants; be it Google Now, Panasonic’s Arbo or Apple Siri. Out of multiple other benefits, they remind me of things at the right location & at the right time.

I started to miss my phone already. Blissful? My date was nowhere near it.

Couldn’t check review before ordering food. Food looked amazing. Couldn’t take pictures for Instagram.

Her phone died and she wanted to make a call. Couldn’t. (All thanks to my 4000 MaH battery phone that was sleeping at home, near my bed)

We had a nice walk to a nearby mall.

An awesome song was playing at the mall. Alia and I just couldn’t recollect it. I MISSED MY PHONE. Went to buy a headphone. Couldn’t because couldn’t check online reviews.

Basically, my whole day was filled with stuff I couldn’t do. It started raining after we took the auto. I dropped Alia (probably for the last time), and returned home.

I was hungry, but NO ordering online. Walked to the nearby food stall and ate the most delicious and questionably oily egg bhurji of my life.

After returning home, I saw my phone near my bed. That tiny intelligent robot trying to convince me to embrace it with a hug. I resisted for a moment, it wasn’t 24 hours yet.

Somehow it knew that it makes me better. It makes me lead a more productive, healthier and smarter life. As I pressed the power button the glow of the screen made by eyes sparkle in the dark room. It was like opening a Pandora’s Box.

Man and machine make good partners.
Trust me, life’s easier WITH a smartphone. Still not convinced? Watch this:

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This story is brought to you in association with Panasonic Eluga