Welcome
Welcome to the February Phone Breakup, a month-long adventure in which we’ll go through the 30-day phone breakup plan from my book How to Break Up With Your Phone together. I’m so excited that you’re here.
The first official day of the breakup is tomorrow (the book’s plan starts on Monday). For today, I want to welcome you, go over some house-keeping, and explain how this adventure is going to work. And – last but certainly not least – I want to meet you!
How the February Phone Breakup will work:
Every day, you will receive an email from me (sent from febphonebreakup@screenlifebalance.com) telling you exactly what to do. Please make sure to add this address to your contacts so that it doesn’t get blocked.
If you’d like to participate solely on your own, then all you need to do is read the day’s email and follow the instructions. (Note: I will send you your weekend assignments ahead of time so that you don’t have to be in your inbox over the weekend!) If you’re the journaling type – or prefer an analog guide – you can also download/print the companion workbook – see below for instructions on how to get it.
In each daily email, there will also be a link to a blog post (which is where you are right now!) This is where you can interact with me and other participants by asking questions, sharing experiences and advice, etc, in the comments. My team and I will drop in once a day to read through the comments and personally respond. You do not need to sign in or create an account in order to leave a comment — but please do use your first name.
Here is the home base for the blog – i.e. it’s where you’ll find a link to FAQ and a running list of all of our daily assignments. I recommend that you bookmark it! (PS - it’s private; no one has the link other than you and your fellow phone breakup participants.)
Every week of the breakup, I will also create and share a video in which I answer questions sent to me by participants, and comment on themes I’m noticing. If you would like to submit a question, simply reply to the daily email, or send a note to febphonebreakup@screenlifebalance.com.
Your assignments for today:
This breakup will be more fun if we get to know each other. So please take a moment to introduce yourself here. (That link will take you to our “Introductions” page!)
I’ve created a printable companion workbook for the 30-day phone breakup. If you’d like to download it, visit this page on my site, add the workbook to your cart, and enter FEBPHONEBREAKUPWORKBOOK at checkout. (Please keep the code private.) After you submit your order, you should get a separate email with a download link.
Please take a moment right now to find or buy an alarm clock that is NOT your phone—and as soon as you get it, start using it as your alarm instead of your phone. More on this later. But get the alarm clock now. :) Here is a roundup of alarm clocks, in case the thought of trying to choose one yourself makes you feel paralyzed.
If you have any friends whom you think might like to join us, it’s not too late. Send them here to sign up. (The drop-dead deadline is 5pm ET on Wednesday, February 4th.)
Lastly, as part of the February breakup, I’ll be asking you to join me in taking a full 24-hour break from your phone from 5pm on Friday, February 20th to 5pm on Saturday, February 21st. Yes, I know: you probably just freaked out — most people find this idea very scary. BUT those same people often end up saying that it was one of the most rewarding parts of the entire breakup. So just put the date on your calendar for now; we’ll deal with your anxiety later.
And . . . that’s it!
Congratulations on joining this adventure – it truly is an investment in your own wellbeing, and I am grateful that you’re here.
To scrolling less and living more,
How to Leave a Comment:
If you want to start a new thread/conversation, simply type your comment into the big white comment box.
If you’re trying to respond to a previous commenter, or add a comment to a thread, simply tap the small “reply” circle on the top right of the post (if you’re on a computer, you may need to hover your mouse over the comment to get the “reply” option to show up) and reply in the thread. This will help keep our conversations organized!
You do not need to log in or create an account in order to comment. Simply enter your first name, ignore the other fields, and then submit the comment as a guest.
Catherine will be popping in once a day to read through and respond to your comments. You may also hear from other members of the team, Maryana and Laura, who are helping with logistics!