I Forgot My Phone At Home…I Survived Without It - July 10, 2026

It’s a dependency that can be overcome

Last week on Canada Day we had a full day's plans, starting with attending a concert at the National Arts Centre, followed by going to a friend’s Canada Day party.  We left the house at around 1:00 pm and were going to be out until the evening.   As we were taking an Uber to the concert, I realized I had left my phone at home. My first thought was “Damn, I need my phone and can’t be without it for the whole day!”  But, I quickly concluded that I couldn’t go back and get it.  At that point I decided to suck it up and live without my phone for the day. While the decision may seem obvious, I'll admit that I gave some serious thought to turning around and going back for my phone.  However, it was a holiday and there shouldn’t be anything urgent for which I needed to be connected; but, like many people I’m simply used to having my phone with me at all times. 

I’m of the belief that we’re on our phones too much anyway; often we pick them up and look at them when we really don’t need to, to simply fill-in dead-time…waiting for something or someone. We’re addicted to our phones, and that’s not a good thing.  So, on Canada Day I thought, I should be ok without my phone for one day - I’d spend the day engaged with my surroundings. I use that expression tongue-in-cheek, as those complaining about the over-abundance of mobile phone use, like to make this complaint - “we don’t engage with our surroundings enough!”. 

When I’m with people, I don’t reach for my phone unless the conversation lends itself to using my phone to answer a question - someone’s contact info, or looking up something online, or on an A.I. app. Even then, I won’t pick up my phone while someone is speaking; I always try to give my undivided attention to the conversation at-hand. However, I am guilty of reaching for my phone when I take a break from a writing session; instead of following the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look away from the screen at something that is 20 feet away, and hold that look/gaze for at least 20 seconds), I tend to reach for my phone.  I am also guilty of reaching for my phone when I take a break from reading, especially if the topic/writing is detailed and requires a lot of thought to follow along.  Again, instead of reaching for my phone, I should follow the 20-20-20 rule noted above.  In both of these examples, the idea is to reset your eyes and mind, away from a screen or fine print. Being on the phone during these breaks doesn’t help…in fact, it’s worse for you.  

On Canada Day, we arrived early for the concert and decided to have a coffee before the show.  For a brief period of time I was sitting alone in the coffee shop, and that’s when I first missed my phone.  In that dead time, alone, I would otherwise have been on my phone and would have checked my email, my Twitter/X feed, my Instagram feed, and perhaps checked the sports scores on The Score app…all of which is unnecessary, but a habit of mine to kill time.  Since I didn’t have my phone with me, I was forced to take-in my surroundings, observing the other patrons around me; good old-fashioned people watching.  Initially, I did miss my phone but after a few moments I was ok without it.  For the rest of the time at the National Arts Centre, I was with my companion and/or in the auditorium attending the concert; I wouldn’t have been on my phone anyway.  

After the concert we went to our friend’s place for the Canada Day party; he always throws a good party.  At social gatherings like this I’m not on my phone, unless there is a quiet moment and I find myself in-between conversations or grouping with friends.  Again, because of a bad-habit, in these quiet moments I may pull out my phone and check my email/feeds…not good, and not necessary, but it’s the truth.  So again, I found myself once in a quiet moment during the party and I thought about my phone.   But, it didn’t bother me that I didn't have it.  I enjoyed the entire time at the party and didn’t think about my phone again for the rest of the day, until we got home that night. I had survived without my phone!

That was last week.  This week, by chance, on two occasions I again forgot my phone and left home without it.  The first time was while running an errand. I was driving, and would not have needed to be on my phone.   The second time was when we were out for dinner with family.  In both instances it felt odd not having my phone, but in neither instance was it essential that I have my phone with me. And, having now done it multiple times in the past ten days, it doesn’t seem so odd to be without my phone. Now, am I going to change my habits? No, my phone will still be with me at all times.  But, these stories reminded me of my attachment to my phone, but also reminded me that I can survive without it, and that perhaps we should all make more of an effort to enjoy phone-free times during each day.