I’m Still Addicted to My Phone

I once played Bejeweled for 6 hours straight, only stopping when my phone died—and I realized my soul might’ve too. I knew I couldn’t keep doomscrolling my way through life, but I also couldn’t throw my phone into the void—I’d built a career on it.

Balance can feel SO HARD. Totally unplugging for days leaves me feeling totally refreshed.

The struggle feels like a cosmic tug-of-war.

This struggle still continues. Finding balance is SO HARD. For years I’ve teeter-tottered between totally unplugging for days and

The struggle felt like a cosmic tug-of-war. I’d start my day with grand plans—meditation, journaling, maybe a sunrise walk—but then I’d blink, and it’d be noon, my eyes glued to a screen, brain fog thicker than my oat milk latte. That 6-hour Bejeweled marathon was my low point. I felt hollow, like I’d traded my spirit for a high score. Digital success was great, but my inner world was lagging—hard. I knew something had to give, but unplugging completely wasn’t an option. I had emails to slay, deadlines to crush, a life to live online.

Then I started small. I slashed my apps to the bare minimum—sorry, random recipe app I never used. I flipped my screen to grayscale when temptation peaked; nothing kills a scrolling spree like a black-and-white Instagram. Most importantly, I made 11 minutes outside a non-negotiable, even when the weather was freezing. Those minutes—rain dripping down my hoodie or sun warming my face—became my reset. It didn’t fix everything, but they reminded me I’m more than a pixelated to-do list. We don’t need to ditch the digital grind, just give ourselves a chance to connect with nature.

I’m not offline, just online with a side of soul now. Try it—one trick, like 11 minutes outside, and see how it feels. Your inbox can wait—your spirit’s got VIP status.