I stepped out of yoga class and spotted an iMessage notification: Is your phone in the box? With 30 minutes of freedom to spare, I fired off a string of texts in response.
Like many Gen Zers, I’m usually glued to my phone. Part of my job involves managing social media accounts, so much of that time is devoted to editing and uploading content. But I also do my share of distracted scrolling, unnecessary texting, and self-esteem depleting via dating apps. My New Year’s resolution for 2022 was to stop taking my phone to the bathroom. (I failed after a week.)
During a recent late-night TikTok binge, I came across a video of a girl locking her phone in a box, looking to disconnect for a few hours. That’s what I needed to manage my addiction, I realized. So for a full month, I tried sealing my device away in a latched container during the workday. I fantasized about becoming more focused and productive.
During the first week, that’s what happened. I really was less distracted: instead of reaching for my phone when I hit writer’s block or wrapped a long meeting, I walked around my apartment or cleaned for a few…
