Dear Annie: I decided to put my phone away for a while and the results were wonderful.

Today was the day I was allowed to pick up the phone again. I had imposed a three-day restriction on myself and today was the fourth day. During those three days, I only answered my father’s calls. He is 86 and I don’t want to miss a minute of his time with us. But that was all I allowed myself.

I can’t believe how much I’ve accomplished in my small apartment. Everything is shiny and tidy again.

I will follow this rule weekly. I think this is the best idea I’ve ever had and it’s nice to see that others have come to the same conclusion.

There’s a great movie waiting for me, so I put the phone away to enjoy my time. – Feeling Free Again

Dear “Feeling Free Again”: When we say no to certain behaviors, we say yes and open the door for other positive behaviors. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

Dear readers, Annie has this week off. Today’s column was published in 2021.