Willing to trade convenience of smartphone to be free of distractions: Pico Iyer at KLF

Kozhikode, Celebrated travel writer Pico Iyer’s life without cell phone, media, or constant notifications stands as a striking anomaly in a world increasingly tethered to the smartphone, where even an hour without a ping can spark FOMO and anxiety.

Intrigued by the minimalist lifestyle of their favourite author, the audience at the ongoing ninth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival listened to Iyer as he described living a life without a cell phone, and how stepping away from digital noise allows him to live fully in the present.

“If someone says they’ll meet me at six, I’m there at six and if they’re late, it’s not a problem, because it’s my fault for not having a cell phone. I don’t necessarily recommend it to anyone, but I’m willing to trade the convenience and comfort a smartphone brings to be free of distractions.

“As I am talking to you, I am giving myself entirely to you, without anything vibrating in my pocket or worrying about checking texts or emails… For example, when I’m with my wife, I want to give her my full schedule, the person I’ve given my life to,” said the Japan-based author in the session “Learning from Silence”.

But the 68-year-old writer, who has authored over 15 books, acknowledges that this lifestyle is not without its challenges something as simple as accessing room service via a QR code can be difficult.

And even though he is personally willing to make such trade-offs, Iyer won’t necessarily recommend the same to others.

“I’m willing to make the trade-off of giving up certain convenience and comfort that comes with having a smart phone…I’m willing to pay that price, so as not to be hostage to 600 notifications and updates and news flashes every day and every minute,” he added.

Notably, phones are not the only thing he avoids.

A veteran journalist who has written for mainstream outlets such as Time, The New York Times, and The Financial Times for over four decades, Iyer also lives what he describes as a “media-free” life something made far easier by his decision to stay off mobile phones.

His argument: “media is only in the job of trying to inflame our sense of anxiety, rage or excitement, and actually clouding us from the larger picture”.

To give an example, the author said that during the pandemic, he found that constantly following the news only overwhelmed him with tragedies he could do nothing to help thousands dying from COVID, wars raging elsewhere while drawing attention away from those he could support, such as family and neighbours.

By stepping away from media, Iyer said he embraced hope, wonder, and a deeper connection to the world, which helped him focus on being a better friend, son, husband, and citizen.

“So, yes, I live in a more or less media-free environment, which is a strange thing for journalists. And people, especially in India, are often surprised that somebody who’s a working journalist and powerful enough can function without this workload. And I feel like I don’t know how people function with this workload,” he explained.

But Iyer didn’t just abandon distractions; he also embraced practices that sustain him most notably meditation.

The “Learning from Silence” author was inspired by the Dalai Lama, whom he accompanied during the latter’s visit to Japan.

He shadowed the spiritual leader through a jam-packed daily routine meeting politicians, engaging with people from all walks of life, sharing meals, and even shopping together.

Despite being 22 years younger, Iyer found himself drained simply by keeping pace with the schedule.

Only later he realised that the Dalai Lama’s tireless presence stemmed from the way he began each day, devoting the “first four hours” to meditation.

“It made me think that if the busiest person I know can devote four hours every morning, and then more hours later in the day, to meditation, somebody like me could probably do it for 10 minutes. I mean, that’s not asking too much. And although I didn’t do that as much as I should, the only way to navigate a busy world is to gather yourself,” he concluded.

The four-day literary extravaganza hosted over 400 speakers, including Nobel Laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Abhijit Banerjee, astronaut Sunita Williams, author Kiran Desai, Jnanpith winner Pratibha Ray, sports icons Rohan Bopanna and Ben Johnson, and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.

KLF 2026 comes to a close on January 25.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.