Illustrations by SIOBHÁN GALLAGHER

Illustrations by SIOBHÁN GALLAGHER

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A User's Guide to Phone-Free Living

Don’t panic! You can do a lot of things without your phone. Here’s how.

April 2026
By Meg Richardson

As you read, ask yourself: Why might it be important to do some things without a smartphone?

Here’s a question: How many times have you looked at your phone today? If you’re one of the 90 percent of teenagers who own a smartphone, the answer is probably a lot.

According to a recent survey by the consumer research site Reviews.org, the average American checks their phone about 205 times per day. It makes sense: A host of apps make smartphones useful for all kinds of things. But do we really need to use them 205 times per day? Probably not.

In fact, experts say that doing things without a phone or other digital device can help sharpen your problem-solving skills. How?

Your brain is made up of cells that send, receive, and process information. They communicate with each other through pathways called circuits. “The more you use a circuit, the stronger it becomes,” explains Anne-Noël Samaha, a scientist at the University of Montreal who studies the brain. “If you always go to your phone for ideas, you’re not using the circuits in your brain that help you be creative, learn about your environment, and navigate through it,” she says. “That causes these circuits to get weaker.”

Plus, let’s face it: smartphones aren’t always perfectly reliable. You could be in a situation where your phone breaks, dies, or loses service. That’s why it’s a good idea to know how to get things done the old-school way.

Read on to learn—or relearn—how!

Check the Time

Illustrations by SIOBHÁN GALLAGHER

The Situation: On the way to your part-time job, you pass your favorite bubble tea shop. You want to stop and get a cup, but your shift starts at 11:00, and you don’t want to be late! You reach for your phone to see if you have time, but . . . it’s dead. Luckily, you’re wearing a watch. (Hey, it went with your outfit!) Do you remember how to read it?

No-Phone Fix: If you don’t know how to tell time quickly, you’re not alone. The prevalence of digital devices has led a lot of young people to struggle with this skill. But don’t panic—all the info you need is on the watch face.

First, find the shorter hand of the watch. That’s called the hour hand, because it points to the hour. (If it’s between two numbers, that means the hour is the smaller number.)

Next, look at the long hand on the clock. This is the minute hand, and it tells you how many minutes have passed after the hour. Find the number it’s pointing to, and multiply the number by 5. If it’s between two numbers, multiply the lower number by 5 and add 1, 2, 3, or 4 minutes, depending on its position. Try it with this clock face:

Shutterstock.com

A) On this watch, the hour hand is about halfway between 10 and 11. That means the hour is 10.

B) The minute hand is pointing between the 5 and the 6. So multiply 5 by 5 to get 25.  

C) But it’s pointing two minutes past 25. So 25+2=27. 


The time is 10:27. Now you can decide if you have time for that bubble tea!

Research a Topic

The Situation: You’re writing a research paper about a really interesting topic. But all the websites you’re finding seem to be giving you different information. You want to find sources you’re sure you can trust. This sounds like a job for . . . the library!

Illustrations by SIOBHÁN GALLAGHER

No-Phone Fix: Your school library or local public library is a great place to do research. It’s full of trustworthy sources and information experts (librarians!) who can help you find just what you need in reference articles, periodicals, and books.

If books are part of your research, you might be wondering how to navigate the library’s shelves. A librarian can show you how to use a digital database called a catalog. You can also use call numbers, which appear on each book’s spine. They are like addresses that tell you where a book lives in the library.

Shutterstock.com

Each nonfiction library book has a unique number on its spine that tells you what type of book it is.

In a call number, the digits indicate what the book is about. For instance, books with numbers in the 580s are about plants, and books with numbers in the 590s are about animals. (You don’t need to memorize these numbers—they are probably posted at the library.) The letters that follow the digits are the first letters of the author’s name. Books are grouped by call number, then by author name in alphabetical order. 

Nonfiction library books are likely to be trustworthy and well-organized. Plus, research shows that people retain information better when it’s read from a book than from a screen.

Find Your Way Around

Illustrations by SIOBHÁN GALLAGHER

The Situation: You’re hiking in the woods with your family and dog when you notice that your phones have lost service. You come to a fork in the road with a trail map posted. Do you know how to read it to understand which way to go?

No-Phone Fix: You don’t need a phone to navigate when you’ve got a good map! When looking at any map, the best place to start is the key. This will tell you what the different symbols mean. For example, a dotted line might represent the trail. A star or a red dot might mean “you are here.”

Next, find the compass rose. This will tell you which way is north, south, east, and west. You could also use the sun: Wherever you see the sun setting is west. Wherever you see the sun rising is east. That information can help you figure out the other directions.

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

If you’re still not sure where you are on the map, look for landmarks. If there’s a pond on the map in the direction you want to go, and you see a pond down one path but not the other, go toward the pond.

Practicing this kind of navigation without a phone is great for your brain. “It’s good to have strong neural circuits in the brain region that helps us navigate physical spaces,” Samaha says.

There’s a whole world waiting for you outside your door. With a few easy-to-learn skills, you’ll be ready to explore it phone-free!

Send a Thank-You Note

The Situation: Your favorite aunt, who lives in another state, sent you an awesome birthday gift. You text her to say thank you. But that doesn’t feel special enough. You want to show her how much the gift means to you. Enter . . . the thank-you card!

Illustrations by SIOBHÁN GALLAGHER

No-Phone Fix: First, gather your tools. You’ll need a card, an envelope, a stamp, and something to write with. You can find these at grocery stores, drugstores, or the post office. (You can also make a card yourself.)

Then, start writing! Begin with a greeting that includes the person’s name, like “Dear Aunt Linda,” or “Hi, Aunt Linda!” In the body of your letter, try answering some of these questions: Why is the gift you received special to you? What did you feel when you opened it? What will you do with it? Make sure your handwriting is neat enough to read.

When you’re done, sign your name. If your letter is on paper, carefully fold it. Place it in the envelope, seal it, and stick your stamp in the upper right corner. Write your full address in the upper left corner and your aunt’s in the center (see above).

Finally, it’s time to mail it. Place the envelope in your mailbox, and raise its red flag (if it has one) or clip your letter to the outside. You could also drop it off at the post office or deposit it in a USPS blue mailbox.

Snap Some Photos

Illustrations by SIOBHÁN GALLAGHER

The Situation: You’re planning a picnic with friends. You want to make sure you’re in the moment and not distracted by a device. You’re thinking about leaving your phone at home, but you want to document the fun memories at the picnic.

No-Phone Fix: There are many ways to take photos without a phone. Some are fancy and complicated. Others are super simple. If you’re just starting out, try a disposable camera (below), which costs about $20. Most disposable cameras take about 25 photos. You can get the film developed and photos printed at many drugstores. It usually takes three to six days.

If you’re interested in other kinds of analog photography, you could try a Polaroid camera or a film camera, which are more expensive. These cameras will give your photos different cool, vintage effects. Plus, sometimes when you can take a limited number of photos, each one becomes more special.

Shutterstock.com

Reflect on this: How would doing these tasks without phones affect your experience?

Now You Try It!

Choose three things you might normally use your phone for. Make a plan for how to do them without it.

If you’re stuck on how to do something without a phone, ask a relative who remembers a time before smartphones.

Life Skills
Digital Citizenship, Media Literacy

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