{
  "id": 15011949,
  "title": "I can't imagine life without my phone. But sometimes I wish I could",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/i-cant-imagine-life-without-my-phone-but-sometimes-i-wish-i-could",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T18:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/wellbeing/2026/10/16/i-cant-imagine-life-without-my-phone-but-sometimes-i-wish-i-could/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than a decade ago, the author took part in a personal retreat, during which she was forbidden from using a mobile phone for seven days. Initially, it was challenging to resist the urge to check her phone or wonder about the world outside. However, as time passed, she grew accustomed to the silence, finding it peaceful and calming. This experience made her yearn for life without a mobile phone, not because she thought life was better then, but because it felt less demanding. Growing up, she remembers a time when having a phone in one's pocket was not common, and communication was limited to pagers, voice calls, and text messages. The advent of mobile internet and social media shifted the phone from a tool used occasionally to one that was always with its user. While most people today cannot imagine leaving home without their phones, the author finds herself questioning whether constant connectivity has made people feel more connected. Life now seems more chaotic, with less privacy, more distractions, and an expectation to always be reachable. People often eat, talk, and spend time together while staring at their own phones, leading to missed conversations and reduced attention. The author herself is guilty of spending excessive time on her phone, leading to poor posture and neck pain. Her doctor pointed out that constant phone usage can contribute to these issues. Apart from the physical implications, there are other aspects of life before mobile phones that she misses. For instance, the simplicity of being unreachable; if someone called her house, they would simply try again later, without anxiety about missed messages or blue ticks. People used to make plans without the need for constant updates, and if someone couldn't make it, they simply didn't reply. Memorizing phone numbers and asking for directions were common practices. When waiting for a bus or in a queue, people would simply wait, engaging with their surroundings or letting their minds wander. Nowadays, the moment there is nothing to do, it's almost automatic to reach for a phone. The author also misses the private nature of life before mobile phones. People didn't need to photograph every moment, as memories were cherished privately. They enjoyed concerts, movies, and meals without needing to capture them through a phone screen. Some memories were reserved only for those present. While the author acknowledges that life was not always perfect before mobile phones (such as navigating without Google Maps or physically visiting a bank), she doesn't regret the loss. What she does regret is the constant availability and the expectation to always be reachable. Despite the convenience of having all communication tools in her pocket, she values the ability to communicate easily with loved ones who live far away. For example, her father, an Overseas Filipino Worker, experienced a completely different form of communication when working abroad. Writing letters and sending cassette tapes with recorded messages were common practices, and waiting for replies was an exciting part of the process. Today, families can connect instantly through video calls, making it easier to be a part of each other's lives despite the distance. However, the author believes this convenience has also changed them, as people are connected almost every waking hour, and messages arrive throughout the day. Social media provides an endless stream of other people's lives, and even when one has nothing to do, they rarely allow themselves to do nothing. Somewhere along the way, being constantly available became the norm. The author does not wish to return to the days of payphones, paper maps, or waiting weeks for a letter. Instead, she strives to find a balance between the convenience of modern communication and the desire for more meaningful connections.",
  "summary": "More than a decade ago, I went on a personal retreat. For seven days, I wasn’t allowed to use a mobile phone. The first few days were difficult. It took discipline not to reach for a phone, check a message, or wonder what was happening outside. But as the days passed, I got used to the silence. Looking back, those seven days were some of the most peaceful and calm moments of my life. If I were…",
  "key_points": [
    "Author found peace after seven-day phone ban, now craves life without mobile",
    "Mobile internet and social media made phones always accessible, causing chaos",
    "Author regrets constant availability, values meaningful connections over constant reachability"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "I can't imagine life without my phone. But sometimes I wish I could",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/i-cant-imagine-life-without-my-phone-but-sometimes-i-wish-i-could-15015000",
        "published": "2026-10-16T18:01:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}