Day 1 without the sudoku app

How much more could we all get done if we spent less time on our phones?

Last night while curled up with a book in my cozy brown recliner, I realized (a) how content I was, and (b) how much time I'd been wasting, every day, playing games on my phone.

"What is it costing you?" – my conscience

Sudoku started as a way to challenge my brain – which is ironic, because according to my doctor, the keys to brain health are exercise and good sleep. Being hunched over my phone kept me from getting either.

As time went on and I got better at it, Sudoku turned into a PEZ dispenser of dopamine and distraction. It was time to pull the plug.

Placing the book on my lap, I picked up the phone, navigated to the app and deleted it. Done. Finished the chapter and called it a night.

Sixteen hours in, I do miss the dopamine. Yet I also know there are better, more fruitful ways to acquire it: calling a loved one, for example, getting outdoors for a walk, reading a good book, or simply showing gratitude for the gift of time.

What's one thing you could cut out or cut back to make room for something better?