Officially surrendered my smartphone.

(Posting this from laptop) Yesterday I gave my smartphone to my mom and told her not to tell me where she hid it. I also bought a dumbphone that I can use only for calling and texting.

I've already been off Instagram for months but I'm preparing for a competitive exam and I was still getting distracted constantly. My screen time had become so embarrassing that I genuinely don't even want to mention the number here.

So I finally accepted something. I don't need a smartphone right now. I was just wasting hours every single day.

I know people will say, "Isn't this too extreme?" or "How will you manage Maps, UPI, etc.?"

Honestly, I don't need them. I'm studying from home. Keeping a smartphone just in case I need those apps would only be an excuse for me to start scrolling again.

Others will say:"Just learn self-control", "Turn off notifications", "Use grayscale", "Delete social media."

Trust me, I've tried all of it. I deleted Instagram, then started watching Youtube Shorts instead. If it wasn't one app, it was another.

I also started noticing other effects...my sleep was getting worse, I'd wake up feeling tired, my memory felt foggy and I found it harder to focus for long periods.

Maybe other people can maintain a healthy relationship with smartphones. I genuinely can't and I've finally stopped pretending that I can.

It's only been one day and I'll be honest. The urge to reach for my phone is real. You almost feel... empty. It's strange how automatic the habit becomes.

But despite that, I already feel like this was the right decision for me.

I'll come back after 10 days and share an update on whether this experiment helped my focus and productivity.