Logging off, living more: Indonesia’s quiet shift to the ‘joy of missing out’

Researchers found that reducing social media use can help lower symptoms like anxiety and insomnia. Read more at straitstimes.com.

JAKARTA – Ms Galuh Ambar Sasi, 38, a university lecturer in Salatiga, Central Java, often leaves her phone untouched during lectures, fieldwork and writing, sometimes long enough that her husband has to email her to get a reply on the messaging app WhatsApp.

Ms Galuh mostly uses email, accessed through her laptop, for communication and responds to WhatsApp messages only from family members or close friends, as she finds her phone distracting.

In a digital age when people rely on their devices for news updates, social connections and entertainment, some are choosing to spend less time on their phones to have a more balanced life, including Ms Galuh.

She mainly uses her phone for practical purposes, such as getting directions from a map application, making digital payments or taking notes.

“I rarely check my phone because I find that when I’m in one place, I’m not just focusing on myself, but also my mind and heart. And that requires focus,” she said.

“It feels strange, doesn’t it, when you’re talking to people and your eyes keep looking away?