5 unexpected benefits of going festival phone-free

It’s festival season and, as a nation constantly glued to our screens, how are we coping with the notion of combining festival going with a fully charged and functional smartphone? We set off to a music festival, found ourselves (totally unplanned) phone-free, and loved it!

Here are five unexpected benefits from going phone-free at a festival;

#1 Freedom

Festival going is supposed to be a time to let go of your ‘normal’ life and be free. But being tethered to a phone, constantly hunting for charging points and checking social media can actually really stop you enjoying the festival. Without a phone you can give both the music and the atmosphere your undivided attention, without worrying about your flickering 3G signal or the lack of wi-fi.

Without a fully charged phone, you also can really connect with nature and your surroundings and throw yourself into the whole camping and outdoors experience. It’s also rather nice to feel in a bit of a ‘bubble’ where, just for a few days, the outside world can’t bother you.

#2 Quality time with friends

Often you can miss out on having fun with friends because you are too absorbed in your smartphone. When we switched off we found we laughed, talked and even raved far more with our mates, and just generally had a far better time.

#3 Being in the moment

Sometimes it’s quite easy to miss a song or something spectacular because you’re fumbling with your phone in an attempt to take yet another (blurry, badly-lit) photo.

Even big artists, such as Adele, have  expressed their annoyance at constantly being filmed instead of seeing their audiences just enjoying the moment.  If you keep your phone off (or maybe even leave it at home?) you’ll never miss a memorable moment.

#4 No regrets!

Inevitably at a festival, there will be drinking. And with drinking comes drunk texting, embarrassing snaps and late night Instagram posts. To cut out any embarrassment the next day, leave your phone behind!

Not only will you be able to enjoy your festival carefree it will also save any potentially awkward moments on your return when everyone else has seen what you’ve got up to…

#5 A lot less frustration

The phone signal at most festivals is often pretty poor. If you have your phone you’ll be spending frustrating minutes looking for a wavering signal to send that one text, or check your social accounts. Cutting out even looking for a signal means a lot less frustration.

If you find you enjoy these unexpected benefits from going festival phone-free, then you can take it a step further by attending one of our digital detox retreats to really switch off and chill out.