Extended reading read the blog post written by Allen about living without a smartphone for a week. Smart phone, a smart choice. I was a smart phone addict. My eyes were glued to the little screen whenever I walk down the street, had dinner with friends, or lay embedded night. The first thing I did when I woke up in the morning was reached for my phone. I always asked for wifi connections. When I went to a new restaurant or coffee shop, a dead battery in my smart phone would make me feel stressed. Sometimes I had the uncomfortable feeling that this little machine had taken up too much of my time, and that I could have done something more meaningful than just looking at a tiny screen all day. Sliding into the habit was easy, but IT was difficult to quit the habit. Then the day came when I finally realized I had to make a change, head down, eyes on my smart phone. I stepped into the road, and a car shot passed, nearly knocking me off my feet. At that very moment, I made up my mind to spend a whole week without my smart phone. The first day was the hardest. I was used to checking the news in my friend's social media updates every few minutes, but now I did not know what to do with myself. I kept reaching for my pocket, for my smart phone. That was not there. I felt lost and anxious as if I had missed something of value. Very soon, time slow down. The empty hours stretched out in front of me, and I felt disconnected from everyone and everything. IT was scary at first. Then somehow I began to feel free. The things that I had time for, I finally picked up the classic novel I had always wanted to read and was soon lost in the beautiful language. I kept a journal of my feelings, thoughts and daily activities to see how much progress I was making. I went out for a run and felt more alive than I had in days. The details of the scene were revealed in front of me, the soft sunlight, a bird singing from a high tree branch, the rich and earthy smell of the soil after the rain. Best of all, I began to appreciate the beauty in life with my own eyes. Instead of through my smart phone camera, my offline relationships benefit IT as well. I went for a long walk with an old friend. Our wide ranging conversation went so much deeper than brief texts ever could. With us no longer fixed on our phones, we had a chance to really enjoy each other's company. I also made sure to spend more time with my parents. We went to the Opera, played badminton and visited museums. One night, my mother took out some family photos, and we laughed about all times. I brought them up to date with what was going on in my life. We had never felt closer to each other by the end of the week. I almost did not want to turn my phone back on. Those seven days have given me a great appreciation for life beyond the screen. Real life and real relationships are more important to me. Now I cannot escape from the modern world, but I can cut back on the amount of time I spend on my smart phone every day. And I do. Life beyond smart phones is richer and more beautiful, and I am going to take advantage of IT.