Daily ritual: your phone on silent mode

Sometimes a small surprise or new ritual can be all you need to liven up your daily life. In Issue 33, five people share how it happened for them. Nathalie Castricum (46, activity coordinator) left Facebook, and her phone is permanently set to silent mode.

Why did you leave Facebook?

“On the one hand, I enjoyed checking posts and photos posted by good friends I don’t speak to that often. You can sort of keep up with everyone’s lives. But I also realized that it made me really anxious, the pressure I put on myself. I kept feeling like I had to post a quick response, even though I didn’t actually have the time or energy for it. So much information was crowding my brain that I didn’t have room for: posts from people I barely know and reminders to congratulate them, even though I would never do this in real life. I also started to get more and more irritated with the negative posts in a few Facebook groups, about a trash bag that was put out next to the bin, again, for example. I couldn’t just put the responses out of my mind; Facebook kept pulling me out of the here-and-now.”

Was it hard to leave?

“No, this is better for me. I’m already getting bombarded enough with emails and phone calls at work. I do training courses now and then for work, which is also why I’ve tried to create more peace and quiet. My phone is permanently set to silent mode in my bag. I want to be able to keep my attention where it belongs and not be disturbed. I often leave my phone at home when I leave the house. I hear constant beeps and ringtones from others and am so happy I don’t have to hear my own.”