I did an experiment in February. I wanted to break my routines. For the last decade, I believe I have probably had at least one beer every day. It became routine. It took up time. Maybe it made me lazy when I could have been working on something. Although I do not classify myself as a lazy person, I wanted to know if there was more I could be doing instead of sitting on the couch having a brew.

There was a lot of personal growth over the last few years. I advanced in my career that moved us across the country twice, gone back to school full-time, cultivated a lifestyle of positivity, go to the gym a few times a week, launched a creative blog that I update weekly, curate and publish weekly playlists for emerging artists, and still actively perform music. Sounds like a lot, but maybe there is more.

By checking social media, scrolling through thousands of pictures for extended periods of time, sitting on the couch and enjoying an adult beverage, I wondered how that was adding anything positive to my life. I was looking for a reset and February seemed to be a perfect time. My birthday is January 31st, so figured I could go out with a bang on my birthday and start fresh on February 1st.

Breaking routines and mental queues is not easy, but I accomplished it. I went a full month with no social media, no credit cards and (strike up the band) no alcohol of any kind. Yikes. It was not as hard as I thought or seems. I found myself on my days off and weekends adventuring around Nashville a little bit more, taking up new hobbies, finding new restaurants and cafes instead of going to the local dive.

It was a great reset. I read more. I took up rock climbing. I took more walks and explored the neighborhood. I took my dogs out more. I engaged in more conversations and even forgot my phone twice when I went to work. My credit score went up, and I got caught up on some minor debts that I wanted to pay off. I saved a bunch of money that I would have used to grab some beer and paid off most of my Discover card. Unplugging was refreshing.

We are in March now, and I have noticed that a lot of the changes have impacted my routines. Since my February detox, I am more aware of how often I pick up my phone and check it for no reason at all. I have found myself in March just standing with my phone and wondering why I even picked it up. Going to the fridge and grabbing a beer or even buying beer isn't top of mind (for the most part - I love beer). It is interesting to see how a few minor changes can open your eyes and that is what I was looking to do in February.

I celebrated with friends on March 1st and went back to the bar. It was fun, and I do love having drinks with friends, sharing posts and photos and seeing less debt when I open up my financial apps. Now I am more conscience about how many times I am checking my phone. I feel I notice myself doing it less, reminding myself to put the phone down and look up to see the awesomeness that is going on around me.

Now, who wants to grab a beer?

-YourFriendMatt

Breaking and changing habits can be hard. If you want to see how many times you check your phone every day, download this app Checky. It may blow your mind.