Over the last four months, I have undergone three major surgeries. Each of the surgeons said that parts of the healing process are to sleep more than ever and to try to stay away from technology for a few so that my body could fully rest. My most recent surgery was lasik eye surgery, and under no circumstance was I allowed to use any technology for more than a week. If I sat staring at my phone, computer, or TV, I could damage my eyes and ruin the whole procedure. It was not until this surgery that I began to realize how much technology is involved in my everyday life.

I came home after my lasik surgery, and my eyes were almost swollen shut. It was not too hard to not use my phone, computer, or watch television. It was not until the second day that I almost started to have withdrawals from not being able to use my phone or anything. I woke up expecting to roll over in bed and grab my phone to see what everybody was up to, but I couldn’t!

My phone was turned off and put away in a drawer somewhere. I had to remember that my eyesight was much more important than checking an Instagram post. I laid in bed thinking, well what else is there to do when you first wake up if I can’t check my messages! I slowly rolled out of bed and walked into the kitchen to make some breakfast. After making food, I sat on the couch and went to grab the remote to watch a show, but I could not watch television either!

That is the first time, in who knows how long, that I ate in a completely silent house. Nothing is worse than hearing yourself chew or somebody else chewing, but with no music or television on, that is all I could hear. I knew that I had not posted anything on Instagram or Facebook in a few days, so I probably did not have any notifications. Most of my friends knew that I was not going to be able to use my phone for a few days, so I assumed they hadn’t sent me any messages. It was just the feeling of wanting to see what other people were doing and posting about that was driving me out of my mind.

It was going to be a lazy day in my house, and I was trying to decide what activities I could do without using any form of technology. At times, I would reach for my phone, but then realize that it was not there, and I could still not use it! As the days went on, I realized that I was getting more done without constantly being on my phone, binge watching Netflix, or reading articles on my computer. I cracked open a book and started to read endlessly. I took out some stationary and wrote a card to my grandmother. I sifted through photographs and organized a photo album. I hung out with my nieces and had full conversations with them, instead of our conversations constantly being distracted by a phone.

I went out to eat with my friends or family and really got to realize how bad it is to bring your phone to a table. I had never truly experienced what it was like to try to talk to somebody while out to eat and getting completely ignored because the other person is too busy on their cell phone. Nothing was worse than having a conversation and either getting ignored or having to repeat myself multiple times. It began to feel like I would have been better if I just went out and ate by myself.

Instead of sitting inside on a nice day using your phone or watching television, go outside and take a walk. Go to the library and rent a good book that you have heard about. Go ahead and clean out your closet, everybody has that small pile of clothes that does not fit them anymore.

Next time you go out to eat with somebody, keep your cell phone in your bag or leave it in the car. If a friend or family member is upset or excited about something, go see them and get to experience their emotions in person instead of over a text. It means the world to somebody to engage in a real conversation, and not be ignored due to a cell phone. Christian Lous Lange wrote, “Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.” It is time for everyone to go out and smell the roses, for real this time and not through an app.