Oh crap, where is my phone?

I went out the other day and left my phone at home by accident.  I don’t know how it happened, but it did and it made for an eye opening experience.  My phone (or smart device as some people call them) has become a part of me and being out without it made me feel naked in a way and certainly out of touch.

I kept reaching into my pocket for it when I wanted to know what time it was, or to check my email.  It was habitual and it made me realize part of what smokers go through when they try to quit.  I missed having it in my pocket, in my hand and against my ear like a smoker needs something between their fingers.  I just knew that while I was out running errands, eating lunch and generally being productive, I was getting really great shoot offers, important phone calls and texts from art directors in exotic lands.  What was I missing?  How pissed was I going to be to find out when I got back that someone else got my sweet jobs?  It was a problem and I had to get home to retrieve my phone and all those messages!

I also realized that I now only have about five phone numbers in my head when I used to have hundreds.  Ok, that may be an exaggeration, but I certainly used to know more than I do now.  If for some reason, I suddenly had to call my son with some important information, I would be out of luck.  Not because I don’t have a phone, which I didn’t, but because I have no idea what his phone number is.

Give it a try one day.  Just go out for a couple of hours without your phone and see what it means to you.  The reality is that being self-unemployed means that you have to be reachable at all times.  When a client decides to contact you for a job, you need to be able to respond or that sweet job might go to the person who responds first.