A few days ago, my phone pooped out. I ordered a new one, but it wasn't going to come in for two days. I had my laptop so I could stay in contact with people and access the internet, but I wasn't able to pull out my phone to entertain myself at any given moment.

Oddly enough, not having that "out" was comforting. I felt like I could really be engaged in the present moment.

I sat in class and was not distracted, not thinking about whether or not I had any texts or Instagram notifications. I didn't have my phone on my desk, waiting for it to light up. Even if my mind wandered, I was the most focused I probably have ever been.

After my morning class, I went to get a coffee and a bagel. I had to wait in line, with no social media to scroll through! It was kinda dull, but I was able to think, to look around me and observe my surroundings, to notice things I might have never noticed before.

Another thing I noticed that was different without my phone was how much more focused I was on different tasks. I read a book, uninterrupted by a text or my drifting mind, and I felt so engaged with what I was reading.

I didn't realize how much having my phone beside me pulled my attention away from my task at hand.

Sometimes we are so wrapped up in our phones and all they have to offer that we forget to just sit and "be". We are constantly scrolling, posting, texting, reading. We rarely ever are completely in the moment.

I have been trying to make a conscious effort to be mindful for a couple of months now. Sometimes it's easier than other times, and I definitely have a lot more work to do, including building a healthier relationship with my phone.

Obviously, I'm still going to text and scroll and be connected. But I want to be able to be "bored" and not feel the need to grab my phone. I want to be able to work on my focus and my attention span so that I really can concentrate and get stuff done without distraction. I want to be able to put my phone away during class or when I'm out with someone and not feel like I'm missing anything.

I have a new phone now, but I don't want to lose the lesson in these past two days. I am going to really try to embody how I felt without my phone while also still having it at my disposal.

I think it would be beneficial for everyone, especially young people like me, to form a better relationship with technology. It's essential, and it can be great, but sometimes we can get so wrapped up in it that we miss out on real life.