You knew we were going to pry the phone out of your fingers, right? It really is keeping you out of the (gorgeous, expensive, mid-vacation) moment. One study found that people on family vacations who were preoccupied with a smartphone actually remembered fewer details about their trip of a lifetime.
The trick is to break (or at least loosen) your phone's hold over you before you leave town. Start your digital detox two days before you go: turn off all the notifications on your phone, and, if you can, turn off your ringer. "You will still check your phone, but it won't be conditioning you," said Michael DeMaria, PhD, a clinical psychologist and author of Peace Within.
"We know that each time you get a ring tone or even a vibrate or the little dreaded red circle with a number in it, your brain is getting a shot of dopamine or adrenaline." This creates a feedback loop where you just . . . must . . . check. Without the dings and buzzes, you'll need your phone less than you think.
