This is what my iPhone screen looks like.

This is what my iPhone screen looks like…

It is a calm place.

– I have 8 apps installed on my phone which I use occasionally: banking app, ride-sharing app, and a few others.

– I keep these apps hidden on a secondary page. Out of sight. They’re not the first thing I see.

– I have all notifications turned off.

– My phone does not vibrate, buzz, beep, ding, or interrupt me.

– If someone calls, it doesn’t ring. It goes straight to voicemail.

– With one exception—I set up my phone so I do receive calls from a small circle of people (mom, dad, sister, brother, partner, my therapist, and a few others), because there are certain instances where I do want to hear the ring and pick up. For instance, if my mom calls and it’s an emergency, I want to know.

– I rarely use my phone to send texts. I installed a program so I can write texts from my computer on my desk, which feels way better. Instead of hunching over a tiny phone screen, I can write texts the same way I write emails—with a keyboard. It’s way faster and feels better for my body, too.

– I don’t have any social media accounts. I deleted all of them 6 years ago.

Also:

– I have close friends, a strong support network, a wonderful professional community, and I’ve been successfully self-employed for 11 years.

I’m sharing this image of my phone screen, because a picture says a thousand words.

I want to offer this gentle reminder:

You don’t have to use technology the way “most people” do.

You can choose a different path.

You can delete apps. Deactivate accounts. Declutter. Set boundaries. Protect your precious brain space. Protect your privacy, your mental health, and your time.

And, reducing screen time (and social media time) won’t hurt your career. Quite the opposite. It will allow you to concentrate deeply and do your absolute best work.

Technology should make our lives better, not worse.

Make sure you’re using your phone, and it’s not “using” you.

PS. If you want to change your relationship with technology—set limits, create boundaries, delete, declutter, free up tons of space in your brain—then you will love The Marketing Without Social Media Course. Learn how to find plenty of clients and customers and run a successful business—but without all the tech burnout and exhaustion.