I’ve been shot at in war zones – but being without my phone feels more scary

To mark the launch of Flash Pack’s new Pause collection of wellbeing trips, co-founder and former war photojournalist Lee Thompson explains why breaking his phone addiction feels like the toughest challenge yet.

I’ve done a lot of scary things in the past 15 years of my life. In my former job as a photojournalist, I joined armed police raids in South Africa and was shot at while covering the frontline of wars in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2014, I climbed to the summit of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil while it was being refurbed – to take the world’s first selfie with Jesus, no less. And just a few years ago, I approached complete strangers and asked them to be my friend on the New York City subway, as part of Flash Pack’s viral friendship experiment.

However, none of those come close to the queasiness I feel at going without my phone. That’s hard to say out loud. I’ve always thought of myself as someone who is fearless. But, aged in my 40s, I’m also of a generation of people who grew up alongside social media and smartphones. We weren’t born into the Instagram age, but we evolved with it – and, like all addictions, it took hold before we were fully aware of the dangers. 

I’m constantly scrolling. I’m ashamed at how addicted I am

Nowadays, I find myself scrolling constantly. Like everyone, I reach for my phone countless times during the workday. But I also find myself fighting the urge to check updates under the table during dinner (we have a no-phones rule for meals in our household) and – worse – while spending time with my seven-year-old daughter in the playground. 

I’m ashamed to admit it. During the exact moments I should be enjoying quality time with my family, I’m instead reaching for my digital comfort blanket. My daughter, meanwhile, is having a great time keeping herself active and busy. I try to justify it by saying that I’m working, but the reality is, it’s usually nothing that can’t wait. 

The worst thing is, I’m not alone in this struggle. Like me, many Moms and Dads will be less present than our parents were, thanks to a constant barrage of messages and that compulsive impulse to check. I bet I’m not the only one to use a Brick Phone Lock at night, either – something that physically stops me from 2am Slack scrolls with Flash Pack’s overseas teams. 

Many of us are locked in the same struggle with screen time

The problem extends to holidays, too. In a recent study of 2,000 adults by OnePoll, our company Flash Pack found that Brits like me – aged in their late 30s and early 40s – spend on average 106 minutes a day of their holiday time on their phones. That’s the equivalent of one full day of a typical two-week vacation; and it comes despite the fact that 76% are travelling with the specific purpose of switching off. 

Our friends over the pond are facing a similar struggle. According to the new data, 38% Americans aged 35-44 describe their phone as one of their biggest daily stressors. Nearly half intend to use their phone less on vacation; yet 13% ended up using it more. What’s more, nearly a third (26%) of Americans aged 45-54 fear doing nothing while on holiday.

These people are stuck in the exact same trap that I am. It sounds awful to say, but I’m lost without my phone. I’m a die-hard adventurist, and I did some pretty crazy things in my old career as a photojournalist. I jumped out of planes, ran with the bulls of Pamplona and relished places that most other people would never dream of visiting. I lived off that edge. Yet none it matches the challenge of doing nothing. 

I’m a die-hard adventurist, but I’m lost without my phone

Put me in the heart of the chase to catch Gaddafi – as I did during Libya’s Arab Spring, in 2011 – or send me to report on the Japanese tsunami, or Guantanamo Bay (other CTV moments), and I’ll be fine. Adrenalin-pumped, scared; yes. But not lost. 

Saying this is not to show how brave I am. Rather it’s to explain why our new Pause collection of wellbeing trips is such a personal thing for me. Flash Pack has always flourished on the back of fun, high-octane activities like canyoning in the Jordanian desert, or horseback riding through the Mayan ruins of Belize. 

Our new Pause escapes are just as adventurous – with our signature luxury touches – but they’re also designed to be gentler and more intentional. Curated for solo travelers aged 30-49 and 45-59, they’re for anyone who’s feeling tired and overloaded. They’re for you if you want to reconnect with quiet moments of peace and balance in some truly beautiful landscapes worldwide. 

Our new Pause trips are designed to be gentle and intentional

As always with Flash Pack, friendships are key to these trips. You’ll travel with a small group of people who get it; who are searching for a reset, just like you. Staying in one retreat or ecolodge throughout (to minimise stress), you’ll be treated to a series of unique and soothing experiences. These might include anything from a sunset sound bath with live instruments in Caribbean Colombia to slow safaris in South Africa, forest meditation deep in Amazonian Ecuador, or a candlelit natural wine tasting in alpine Spain.

To me, they sound spot-on. Being present is the skill I’m most looking to learn this year. I want to know how to sit and simply be without numbing it with a screen. How to be quiet and reflective while resisting the urge to constantly check.

I’ve spent my life chasing adventure. Now I need to focus on staying still. And if I can do that while traveling with other people – staying in wild and beautiful nature settings, and trying new, soul-fueling things – I might just rise to the feat.

Lee Thompson is co-founder and CMO of Flash Pack. Find out more about Flash Pack’s Pause collection of worldwide wellbeing trips.