I had just gone to bed. Knowing I had to wake up early in the morning, I was not doing what I usually did – browsing my phone. As I lay there staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come, it suddenly struck me how I had not done this in a long time – been alone with my thoughts at the end of the day in the minutes before falling asleep. An activity that I had subconsciously practised for most of my life had somehow completely disappeared. And I could trace its origin back to the time I got my first smartphone almost 7 years ago.

I have always been acutely aware of the unproductive time I spent on my phone and laptop – browsing social media, reading books, watching videos. Having gone off social media for the past 4 months, I had even started reaping some benefits from reducing screen time. But until now, I had not noticed the subconscious habits that had fallen to the wayside as a result of having so much access and content, literally, at my fingertips.

Being cognizant of the effect of smart gadgets on productivity is not hard with the multiple reminders coming at us from outside and within. But the unknown possibilities and potential that we could be losing out on – something as simple as letting your mind wander at the end of a day – those are the things that can pass us by if we are not more self-aware.