Phones are useful, but here's how not to let it ruin your next vacation

If you're going to spend your trip trolling Instagram, what's the point of leaving home?

Now that summer is in full swing, a lot of people have been asking me the same question: how can you take your phone with you on vacation without letting your phone ruin your vacation?
 
It’s a modern quandary: Phones are obviously useful tools, especially when you’re on the road. But too often, a quick check turns into an hourlong scroll session. And if you’re going to spend your trip trolling Instagram or responding to emails, what’s the point of leaving home? 
 
It might seem absurd to have to strategise how to set boundaries with your smartphone. But the reward — a vacation that feels like a vacation — is well worth the work. Here are some useful tips on how to use your phone on vacation, without letting it hijack your trip.

 

Prepare yourself before you leave
 
Define your goal. Ask yourself — and your companions — what’s the point of the trip? To relax? To experience new things? To spend time together? To escape your routine? In other words, what do you actually want to spend your time doing? (I’m willing to bet that you won’t say “obsessively checking my work email.”)  Write down your goal, take a photo of it, and set it as your lock screen image (or use one of these) so that you’re reminded of it when you instinctively reach for your phone.
 
Identify what you want to use your phone for. To take photos? Navigate? Check in with the office?  Knowing what you want to use your phone for makes it easier to catch yourself when you’re using your phone for something that’s not on your list.

 
Don’t fall for your brain’s tricks. It is likely that your brain is going to concoct all sorts of “reasons” you have to check, or scroll, or post while you’re on vacation. That’s because checking our phones triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that encourages us to repeat behaviours that our brains have judged to be rewarding (it’s no coincidence that dopamine plays a major role in addictions). What’s more, not checking your phone can cause your body to release stress hormones such as cortisol — a double whammy. So whenever you feel yourself reaching for your phone because you “need” to do something, ask yourself whether it’s an actual need — or if it’s an excuse.

 
Every time you find yourself about to check your phone on vacation, ask yourself: What is the best thing that could be waiting for you? At the very least, checking your phone will distract you. And if you find bad news waiting for you, it can ruin your day.
 
Remember: when you “check in,” you check out. Mentally and physically, we can’t be two places at once. So every time you turn your attention to your phone, you are turning your attention away from everything else.