Updated 15th Feb 2026
The norm: be available anywhere at any time
Have you ever felt like you couldn’t think straight because of information overload? That’s what kept happening to me at the end of 2021. Instant messaging was overloading my mind to the point of mental exhaustion, leaving me unable to focus, distinguish priorities, or clearly identify the tasks I needed to tackle.
Back then, the norm was for everyone to be constantly available on platforms like Messenger or WhatsApp. We were all chained—by an invisible leash called the internet—to a technological ball and chain demanding our undivided attention.
Beyond monopolizing our focus, the habit of checking messages, watching new videos posted by friends, and staying plugged into the digital stream had become deeply ingrained in our daily lives. We were constantly distracted by the urge to know what’s happening right now. As if scrolling through photos posted an hour ago somehow validated our existence. Like a gossip at the market, knowing this information gave us a place in society.
Cutting the Cord
The plan was simple: I would cut myself off from all instant technologies to reconnect with the real world. I wanted to enjoy my surroundings, observe them, and even embrace boredom—those moments when your mind wanders freely because there’s nothing else to do.
After a few experiments—carrying around a 2000s-era phone and an iPod—I eventually returned to my smartphone, which consolidates all the tools I need, but without an internet subscription. Since January 2021, I’ve only communicated via SMS when I’m out and about.
It’s as if I could only check my messages at home, like my physical mail. Sure, I had to adapt: planning my trips, downloading maps, music, podcasts, and documentaries offline. But even after more than two years of these constraints, I still believe it was the best decision I made that year.
Reflections, Four Years Later
It’s 2026 now. After a call with my sister, she suggested I update this article with my reflections and my relationship with digital technology four years on.
To be honest, much of the mental storm I experienced in the early 2020s was tied to living in Paris—a vibrant, incredible city, but also overwhelmingly dense and exhausting in every way. Moving to Berlin was a huge relief. That said, I’ve kept my digital detox habits.
My first year in Berlin was spent without 4G, which became increasingly difficult, especially during multiple moves and while engaging with the association I joined. Telegram and WhatsApp are simply the norm here, and not having access to them was a real handicap. Plus, I had to get a German phone number because some delivery services or providers couldn’t reach me on my French line. Long story short, I negotiated a 1GB data plan for a few euros a month. Only a handful of apps—like digital keys, messaging, and taxi services—are allowed to use 4G. Everything else waits for Wi-Fi.
Reading for Leisure
This isn’t groundbreaking, but reading is an amazing pastime. I discovered it late, through my print subscription to Courrier International, which I recommend to anyone curious about world events and looking to spend time away from screens. I also enjoy novels, which keep me company in the evenings before bed.
Doing Less and Taking Time
With hindsight—and thanks to practicing yoga with incredible teachers like Alex Perez—I’ve learned to savor each moment. Taking time for myself, without always trying to do more or even do something. Doing less and planning less has become my guiding principle whenever I feel like I’m taking on too much.
Naturally, every project I focus on now holds deeper meaning for me. It’s because I give it the importance it deserves.
My phone isn’t in my pocket, so I don’t pull it out during meetings or at the table with friends. It stays in my leather pouch when I’m out, and it even has its own little spot by the door at home—what I call its “parking space.” I don’t allow it in the bedroom.
Conversations are richer, and my thoughts are less disrupted by the potential ping of a message or email on the lock screen. It can wait.