Only one of them enjoyed the experience

Running out of wifi or no data connection is one of the worst nightmares for generation Z, since it is the first that has grown in A 100% digital environment. However, the Milllenials and, above all, the members of generation X, have lived part of their lives without current hyperconnectivity.

Although it seems crazy, A group of editors of Good Housekeeping He decided to return to those times when the smartphone was not the center of everything and, paradoxically, it was used to call or, at most, to send messages on SMS.

The reason? Escape from constant Notification bombardmentsocial networks and the feeling of always “connected”, making your brain detoxify the negative effects of the constant “Infinite Scroll“That predominates in applications installed in smartphones.

The challenge: one week without smartphone

The idea arose after verifying Digital detoxification need In a world where mobile dependence is almost inevitable. Google Maps to get to the sites without losing us, listen to music or podcast in dead times or be in constant communication with dozens of people at the same time with WhatsApp groups.

The protagonist of the article, a millennial addicted to WhatsApp groups, proposed the challenge to her co -workers of different generations: spend a full week with a “Dumb Phone”, such as those used in the 90s and 2000.

The response was well received by the participants and many were interested in the experience of disconnecting from the slavery of notifications and Tyranny the Fomo. The only one but found the idea was that the need to stay tied to technology for labor and personal demands.

To carry out the experiment, some phones got Basic Nokiafamous for its lasting battery and simplicity. Thus, a Millennial, a member of the X generation and a young woman from the Z generation Zambuller in the “digital disconnection” and did it without float. They did not even make a dump of the agenda, so they could only call those numbers that they remembered or who were getting.

X Generation: A Way Without Return

Those of us who belong to generation X, more than digital natives, have been digital migrants. That is, we have grown a good part of our life with hardly any technology, but we have been its Inventors and “Early Adopters” that has risen to all the trains of its evolution.

Therefore, it is a generation that has become accustomed to technology, but it has not been as dependent as millennials or the Z generation, because it has already lived in a world without WhatsApp, GPS or Spotify. However, the experience was bittersweet.

On the one hand, Simon Swift, the editor of the X generation that did the test, claimed to have enjoyed the tranquility of Read a journal to workavoiding negative information overload. That allowed him to reconnect with the real world. However, the difficulty of communicating through text messages and the dependence of physical maps (the bad view, already touched by the years) were frustrating.

In addition, the impossibility of playing Classic “Snake” Due to the “too fat” fingers it was a hard blow to nostalgia. “I like to connect with the world around me. In such a dynamic and unprecedented news period, I want to know what is happening. I don’t think I can re -educate my brain In that sense, “said Swift. When honey is proven, it is difficult to give up the candy.

Millennials: between the fomo and the return to be productive

Florence Reeves-White was the ideologist of the test and the millennial representative in this experience. He confessed to feel panic at the idea of ​​missing important conversations in the chat groups of his friends or not being aware of the latest news. However, the experience turned out to be more positive than expected.

Having access to social networks, its productivity increased, dedicating more time to writing, reading and performing activities that really enriched it. In addition, not being constantly communicated with their partner or not having distractions in the dead times, voice conversations with their family and loved ones became more common, creating a different link.

Again, as happened to the representative of generation X, the lack of fitness, maps or the impossibility of paying with the mobile, generated inconveniences in their day to day, but the feeling of improve your productivity He has marked this participant who will not hesitate to repeat the experience, although with some nuances.

Z generation: This is what they call life?

For the representative of the Z generation, it was called Megan Geall, a digital native and intensive user of the smartphone for absolutely everything, the disconnection It was a real challenge.

One of the first effects he noticed was that of full attention while seeing a series of Netflix at home. I no longer had the temptation to review social networks while watching the series.

The impossibility of accessing social networks also meant a breeze of fresh air in this experience: “It was very nice to be disconnected for a while and not see what others do with their lives, simply live mine,” said the young woman.

However, limited options for entertainment and communication of the Dumb Phone who was using some inconveniences. The difficulty in writing text messages, the lack of music in the gym and the impossibility of using Apple Pay were the main obstacles.

Despite recognizing some benefits, such as a greater connection with people by having to call them by phone Instead of sending messagesThe young woman concluded that she was not willing to give up the comfort provided by her smartphone.

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Image | Unspash (Sumeet Singh, Mohid Tahir)