It’s been a couple of weeks since I deleted Facebook and Instagram from my phone, and the shift in my headspace has been huge. I haven’t gone completely off the grid—I’ve kept Messenger to stay in touch with friends and family—but removing the infinite scroll of social media has made me realize just how often we use our phones purely to pass the time.
With the social media ban for young kids kicking in across Australia this week, it feels like the right time to re-evaluate our habits. Removing these apps was my own personal answer to that—if it’s harmful for them, maybe I needed a break from it too.
Honestly, I’m not missing it.
What I have noticed, however, is just how glued everyone else is to their screens. Since becoming an amputee and getting around on my mobility scooter, my perspective has literally shifted, and it’s actually pretty scary.
I’ve written before about the battle for priority seating on public transport. It’s not just that people are sitting there; it’s that they are completely tuned out. Between the phone screen, the noise-cancelling headphones, and the sunglasses, the world around them disappears. They either don’t realize—or choose not to realize—that those seats are for people with disabilities, not for their shopping bags. I always have to ask, and it’s always a jolt back to reality for them.
But lately, it’s the walking that really worries me. The amount of people who walk straight towards me, eyes locked on their screen, and nearly trip over my scooter is baffling. I watch people step onto pedestrian crossings without looking up once. It is genuinely dangerous.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my phone. It’s an incredible tool. But taking the social media apps off has broken that reflex to just stare at it whenever there is a spare second.
I know I’ve got some big trips coming up, and I’ll definitely want to share photos with you all. But I think logging on once a day (or even less) to post an update is plenty. Life is happening right in front of us, not in the feed. Look up!
I often put my phone away on public transport, as I can’t absorb what I am reading and give full attention to podcasts. I don’t normally walk and look at my screen. I won’t bounce off the ground at my age.