Somewhere along the way I lost the ability to sit in a queue without reaching for my phone. Every gap in the day was filled before I noticed it was there.
So I started leaving the phone in my bag on walks. The first week was uncomfortable. The second week I started noticing trees again.
The space in between
Boredom is not empty. It is the moment your mind stops being fed and starts making something of its own. Most of what I have written this year started on a walk with nothing in my ears.
I do not think the answer is to throw the phone away. It is to leave a little room in the day where nothing is asking for your attention.