Yesterday I descovered the BEST daily mobile phone plan ever.  I actually discovered it by accident as I had to go to the northern suburbs to work on our house.

I was half way there when I realised I had left my phone home!

Initially there was a degree of panic:

• What if I was required urgently – unlikely?
• What if I needed to make an urgent call – really?
• What if I just wanted to chat with one of my friends – I could do it later?
• What if my friends wanted to chat with me – they could call back/leave a message?
• What if I wanted to take a photograph – really?
• What if I wanted to play a game – really?
• What if I wanted to immediately look something up on Google – really?

I suddenly realised (through what was genuine initial anxiety and a little flutter in my stomach) that I could probably live through the day (well it was only going to be about 5 hours) without my phone.

I was going to try this new mobile phone plan – not having it with me!

So what happened?

• I really, really quickly got over the guilt of not having it with me and the hypocrisy of getting shitty with people who forget their phones and I can’t contact them!
• Several times on the trip there I was not tempted to use my mobile phone while driving.
• Several times on the way there I looked at the empty place where I put my phone in the car before I realised it wasn’t there.
• I arrived at the house and realised I would have to mow the lawn without music – I mowed the lawn and ‘experienced’ it…. strange?
• I  sat down for a break and noticed the street our house was in – our family has owned this house for 54 years!  I saw a tree I hadn’t seen since I was 6 years old.
• I enjoyed the solitude in the middle of suburbia – disconnected from the electronic world and connected to a normal day doing normal stuff.
• I packed up and drove home.  I usually fill in this trip (about an hour) ringing friends or family but this time I just drove.  I also had time to consider who was living in my head and who was paying rent to stay there (see Better with Friends for an explanation of who lives in my head).  I switched the radio off.
• I got home and after about an hour realised I hadn’t checked my phone – so I didn’t.

Maybe the mobile phone plan I had for today (although an accident) was the best value for money and time well spent with my phone.  Yeah, I missed it, but I think I got better value for my time.

My phone connects me to everything, yet, yesterday was one of the most connected days I have had for a long time.  I think part of any mobile phone plan should be the days you decide not to have it.  Be brave, leave it home, switch it off…… just one day.