I had no phone for 4 days and now feel scared

[Waitingontheeclipse]

Phone broke over Easter and was in the shop and I had to wait for it to be fixed. The first two days were quite nice in a way and I tried to ignore the nagging feeling of anxiety at missing emails, possible WhatsApp’s from family/friends etc
I have everything on my phone and stupidly can’t remember all passwords etc, my apps are all just set up, so I couldn’t check anything.
I plan my days every day in my notes, open my emails, WhatsApp, Fb for possible jobs/some messages, Instagram for fun, my alarm for the mornings, my banking app, taking regular photos..,literally everything is on it. By the last day I was getting really quite agitated and really needing/craving my phone. It was such a relief to finally have it

It made me feel weird as I wouldn’t even say I’m on my phone massively and not as much as some friends/family members.
Its worried me how reliant I am on it and how I obviously must be addicted and how many of us are.

As much as I agree people are addicted to their phones, it is also a tool.

Without it you need to carry or have nearby an alarm clock, a calculator, a torch, an address book, a phone book, a map, banks that are actually nearby and open at useful times of the day, dictionaries, encyclopedias, a tv, a cd player (and all your music on cd), a radio, a camera, a video camera, photo albums, notebooks, a typewriter, a separate computer.... I'm sure there is much more too.

Is it any wonder they are now an essential item for most people?

I need it for bus times, calendar with reminders for EVERYTHING, maps, online grocery shop, vital messaging... that's even without the general chitchat, "need to look that up" and mindlessly scrolling the internet...
I'd manage without it, just, with my PC, but yeah I'd be panicky being out and about for any distance without being able to contact my DH, particularly re arrangements with kids.

Do make sure you back up your photos etc...

@LongCareerOfNearMisses Yes, exactly, all this was even before thinking of being able to contact Dh in an emergency, felt so insecure…but we managed without them before, it’s crazy

Phones are forbidden where I work

It's great! Proper conversations with people!

You don't 'need' it as much as you think you do