1Last weekend, I switched off my phone completely and locked it in a kitchen drawer.
2For the first few hours, my hand kept reaching into my pocket for a screen that was not there.
3I had never realised how often I checked my phone without even thinking about it.
4Instead of scrolling through endless news, I walked to the local market and bought fresh bread.
5For the first time in months, I noticed the smell of rain and the sound of birds in the park.
6In the evening, I sat by the window and read a paper book until the candle burned low.
7My long conversations with my flatmate in the kitchen felt slower, calmer and somehow much deeper than usual.
8By Sunday afternoon, the constant noise inside my head had finally become quiet and peaceful.
9I am not going to pretend for a moment that modern technology is the enemy here.
10My work, my friendships and even my weekly shopping all depend on being reliably online.
11But the experiment taught me a simple lesson: I control the tool, and never the reverse.
12Now I keep one completely screen free evening every single week, and I protect it fiercely.