Reducing Distractions to Become More Aware

by Stefano Borzacchiello, founder of SUPMindfulness

Every time I pick up my smartphone, I know that—even if I’m 100% convinced I’m going to do just one thing—reply to a message or check a specific piece of content—almost certainly, once the screen lights up, even with notifications reduced to a minimum, I will find something I wasn’t expecting.

Even a simple WhatsApp message shifts my attention.

I’m aware of it: I can try to be more intentional, but the mind still receives an unexpected stimulus—and it takes energy to process it and move on.

It’s the nature of the smartphone—its role as a container of constant stimuli—that makes it such a powerful tool, sometimes too powerful, and therefore demanding to manage.

With the Punkt MP02, as I’ve experienced over the past few months, it’s different.

When I pick it up, the only thing that can happen is finding an unread SMS or a missed call. Nothing else.

That’s why I can say that accepting to take part in the Challenge was more than a challenge—it was a journey.

A journey in which, from the very beginning, I knew I could only call or send a message.

And in a short time, I realized that in those moments, this wasn’t a limitation.

On the contrary, it made me feel lighter and freer.

Day after day, its simplicity made me grow fond of it.

Its solid feel, compact shape, and the fact that it easily fits in a pocket made it effortless to carry with me.

A Way Out

At the beginning, when I decided to insert my SIM into the Punkt MP02, I admit I felt a bit of fear.

I told myself: I will surely miss something important, without access to WhatsApp, social media, or email.

Instead, I discovered that not having them—even just for a period of time—was relaxing.

So much so that, when I “had to” go back to my smartphone, I would pause for a moment before switching, knowing that the moment I turned it on, a wave of messages and notifications would arrive.

But even that became a form of training.

That’s why, for me, using the Punkt became a digital detox practice.

After all, it all started there, in Sauris, at the Digital Detox Festival.

In the weeks that followed, that feeling of lightness stayed with me—even on the water, where silence becomes my space for awareness.

The Challenge Begins

The challenge intrigued me, and within a few days, I found in the MP02 a valuable ally even during my SUP sessions.

In those moments of outdoor activity, I enjoy being with myself—listening to the sound of water flowing beneath the board and the nature around me.

I know that a smartphone isn’t necessary.

But having a phone for safety is essential.

Knowing that I had only a phone in my waterproof bag gave me the reassurance that I could call for help if needed—without carrying the stress of notifications and distractions.

During some outings without a smartphone, I also rediscovered my old digital camera.

I went back to taking photos… without being able to share them instantly. And without even wanting to share them afterward.

Using it also made me realize how much we’ve forgotten the pleasure of physical buttons.

I wasn’t used anymore to pressing keys and feeling the tactile response under my fingers.

In a world where our fingers simply swipe, this too was a pleasant rediscovery.

At the Heart of SUPMindfulness

In the following weeks, observing these changes within myself, I decided to make it a symbol of my SUPMindfulness sessions.

Its presence helped me communicate one of the core principles of the experience: digital detox.

In SUPMindfulness, in fact, the smartphone stays onshore.

First and foremost, to avoid distractions and allow focus on one’s inner world.

Showing it to participants, I noticed their curiosity when I described an object that allows us to return to simplicity.

Over time, I understood that this is exactly the point:

the MP02 embodies a more essential way of living.

A symbol that shows how returning to essentials helps restore balance.

Rediscovering the Voice

Using it made me want to call more—to use my voice.

Yes, it must be said: writing an SMS, typing letter by letter, feels inconvenient.

And so, with the MP02, I went back to making phone calls.

To hearing the voice of the person on the other end.

And I rediscovered that we understand each other much faster by talking than by exchanging dozens of messages.

I also noticed how unaccustomed we’ve become to answering calls.

As if a phone call were too much.

Because it requires presence, time, listening, and an immediate response.

And so I realized that today, a phone call is almost a revolutionary act.

Only What Matters

At first, I didn’t transfer my entire contact list.

I chose to save only the contacts of the people I truly wanted to call.

That alone became an act of awareness:

who really matters in my life?

“A phone that only makes phone calls”—that’s how I described it.

A phone that lightens the mental load.

Like a minimalist suitcase: you carry only what you need to feel well.

During the Challenge, I took it one step further.

I left my SIM in my smartphone and got a second one dedicated to the MP02.

That way, I could go out carrying only it, knowing that only a few people could reach me.

And everyone else… can wait.

The Choice

Now I have two phones.

Have I doubled my digital weight?

Yes, perhaps—if I only look at the number of devices.

But in reality, having two phones doesn’t mean being more connected.

It means having a choice.

And in that choice, I rediscover my digital freedom.

Today, I can consciously decide how to shape my day:

when I truly need my smartphone, and when—if I want to feel lighter—the Punkt MP02 is enough.