David Rubinfeld, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, Clinical Director of Our Place Behavioral Services, recently reflected on how one old telephone booth in a bungalow colony offered a powerful reminder of a slower, less anxious way of life:

“I recently visited the bungalow colony where I spent my summers growing up. Amazingly, the only telephone booth we had for about 30 families is still standing. I showed it to my kids, and they couldn’t believe that one phone was enough for everyone.

It reminded me of a different mindset. A phone wasn’t something you carried every minute of the day. It was used for emergencies or truly important messages. Most of life waited, and people accepted that. And guess what? People were less anxious!

About five years ago, I removed my work email from my phone. At first, I had the urge to check it constantly. I wondered if I was missing something important. But after a while, the urge disappeared. Now I check my email when I’m at work, and that’s usually enough. In all that time, I can hardly think of an emergency that couldn’t wait. The occasional urgent email simply isn’t worth living with the daily anxiety of always being ‘on.'”