ON PHONES
Welcome to the first in the latest series of ScreenFree-themed blogs. For those of you who haven’t memorised with precision every single Make Me A Plan project, you can learn more about the ScreenFree SuperPlanners here:
https://www.makemeaplan.com/the-united-plandom/screenfree-sunday/
And we’re well aware of the irony/hypocrisy but hey, what philosopher was’t wont to either or both of those attributes, so every Saturday our ScreenFree SuperPlanners pop up on our social media to give you some screenfree ideas for a ScreenFree Sunday.
The dictionary definition of a phone is “a system for transmitting voices over a distance using wire or radio, by converting acoustic vibrations to electrical signals”. That’s quite neat, I don’t think I’d have quite described it as such if I had been left to my own devices (geddit). But, I knew it would be something like that, which is why I wanted to include this in my screenfree plea. A phone is NOT something that you need to carry from the living room to the kitchen. A phone is NOT something that you need to hunch your neck over countless times a day. A phone is NOT an alternative to fresh air, learning something, engaging in a hobby, relaxing.
Over the ScreenFree project journey I have met interesting people who have ditched their smartphone altogether (browse the blog back-catalogue to read all about their experiences). You don’t have to do that if it just seems soooo far removed from your life right now. But, if you do just one thing, take up the MMAP Phone Challenge, which is, to spend one day using your telephone JUST AS A TELEPHONE. That’s as per the dictionary definition above. No social media, no emails, no games (this includes messaging!)
If you’re privileged enough to be able to talk, it’s good to talk, and 1 day out of 7 really isn’t a chore. Challenge your own conditioning and let us know how you get on.
Next fortnight I’ll be writing On Emails, in the second of our current series linking to MMAP’s ScreenFree philosophy. Re-engage with the positive side of email communication and please get in touch with any particular aspects of this subject you’d like me to write about.
In the meantime,
Happy Planning
PS If you want some other free tips for your business life, check out the Working Well blog – out fortnightly on Wednesdays, courtesy of Make Me A Plan’s Productivity Expert, Penny Le Kelly. Browse the latest edition here: