@@gusmonster59 phones weren't a had to have in the 90s really , they just became more popular in the late 90s. But nowhere near as popular as phones are now
Social media is designed to be an addictive drug. The stuff that’s downloaded to iphones by default, that’s pretty much all a tool. Can’t blame the phone itself if everything the phone does that’s addictive, it does because YOU chose to download the addictive app
I love the comment about "decision fatigue". I absolutely experience the same thing whenever I get in the car with my smart phone. It's interesting how smart phones create that decision fatigue in things that prior to 2008 would never have even involved decisions
This was so needed! I have been using smartphone for 5+ years and I can say I don’t like it. Smartphone feels like liability and constant distraction. I'm 25 btw.
First of all, thank you, because with these series of videos it was the incentive i needed to migrate to a dumb phone and at least manage to reduce the time of use on the smartphone! I'm still learning to adapt to this, but I'm already surprised at the amount of time I spent on activities that seemed to be necessary, which in reality was an exaggerated hyperconnectivity
As someone who never switched to smartphone (might be age related...), the only "social media" I allow myself is YT commentary - and even there I feel the suction effect that you guys describe. The only applications I can think of that I am missing out on are probably fact-checking on the fly and a navigator in areas that I don't have a map in the car for...
I used the Alcatel smart flip for about 7 months. It was great! I Then I decided maybe I can go back to an iPhone. Well I ended up getting super addicted to the point where I was always on my phone. It even began to affect my marriage. So now I'm back on the flip and everything in my life is so much better. Crazy how easily you can get sucked into smartphones. Great video!
Thanks for the update! Us dumbphone users don't really get to see the perspective of someone who decides to try out smartphones again after long-term use of a dumbphone. Most switch back after a 30 day trial phase or stick with smartphones forever, so it was refreshing to hear your perspective since you've been with a dumbphone for so long.
I really like this journey you're sharing. In 2020, I found myself constantly being stressed out over all the politics and etc going on in the news and social media. I stopped using pretty much every form of social media (with the exception of RU-vid). Over the past few years its amazing how much less stress I have and also how much free time I have. I'm a techie at heart, but as you stated sometimes it's just too much information. I'm really thinking about giving this a try.
You know the saying in big cities only rich people can afford empty space? Within tech, only the awaken use a dumb phone to clear their mind. I worked with a senior IT admin and never quite understood why he had a flip phone until now. It’s post-nut clarity being able to see the world and not having a iPhone glued to my eyes every waking second. I decided to go with a Voiceping so I can run some Android apps in a pinch. The screen on it is so small there’s no way I’d ever slip back to the same addiction I once had.
Thank you. I feel validated. I've never had a smartphone, and don't want one. When people ask me when I'm getting one, my answer is "Never". I actually like interacting with other humans when I'm out in public, instead of scrolling thru my phone.
Good for you 😊 you get to live life more freely. I grew up in the 80s and 90s so I remember life before smartphones took over . Life was good then . I do have a smartphone, and I don’t have a tv or computer so that doesn’t help with me from staring at my phone to watch things . I do enjoy photography which I use my phone for . When I am out , unless I absolutely have to phone someone or reply to message, or there’s a great photo opportunity that I want to capture, I usually leave my phone in my bag , as I prefer to connect with life around me when I’m out and about . And I do feel better when I’m not staring at my phone .
Hi, Ashton. Was watching a couple of your videos last night and you're really inspiring me to follow this habit. I've been a phone fanatic back in 2004, or 3.5 years before the first iPhone was released. You could say I'm very much like Michael Fisher AKA Mr. Mobile. I do miss those times when I could clear my thoughts and not be swayed by online influencers all over social media. My current phone is a Motorola Razr 5G. The second modern reboot of the RAZR. I also have a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 I use for gaming and streaming. But ever since I got them last year and they're clearly my two favorite phones I've ever owned, I've been wanting to go backwards to a time when information was NOT coming at me at 100 MPH. I think having clearer thoughts is something I want again. Less anxiety. Less hyperactivity. Less time getting influenced to buy more stuff like more phones you don't really need or to choose which side you're on with politics. I miss the 2000s when we still had phones for EMERGENCIES but we weren't staring at the screen like 3-5+ hours per day. About 12 years ago, my mom wasn't into smartphones. She bought an iPhone 3GS but she wasn't addicted to it. But during the last 7 years, she's always on her iPhone 6 Plus, 8 Plus, or her current 12 checking for information from Facebook or RU-vid. Right now, she's looking at her phone. And she's the least techie in our family who struggled how to email a decade ago. She was the last to be addicted to smartphones and now she's the most distracted from them. She's become a smartphone zombie that I thought she would never become 10 years ago. I really love how you are handling this. I've seen other videos regarding this topic and those same people ended up enjoying it too! I actually want to use an old RAZR but I read T-Mobile shut down their 3G networks recently. So if I want to go back to a dumb phone, it needs to be 4G minimum. I believe each generation network lasts about 20 years. So 4G should still be around for another 10 if not longer. You broke free from the downfalls of smartphone/online addiction and we need to applaud you for it. 👏🏻 So much of the information we are getting can be false or distorted any way. A way to sway moderates. You really can't trust what the mainstream media and social media tells us. It's just pitting us against each other so we can argue. So we can act mean-spirited towards one another with hurtful comments if we don't agree. Ignorance is bliss. Better to stay off from all this manufactured drama. I think a dumbphone + laptop might be a healthier combo than a smartphone. So when we go outside, we are far more aware with our surroundings. We can actually talk to people and look them straight in the eyes. You became revolutionary by going backwards and it's paying off. Thank you, Ashton! You deserve a lot more subscribers.
I got rid of my cell phone 12 years ago, so I don't even know what the addiction feels like. My old man never upgraded from a flip phone. Except for my grandma who never even had a computer, he's the only person in my life that isn't addicted to looking at a little screen all day. Good luck quitting man. I'm so glad not to even have a dumb phone these days, but I don't even know how somebody would ever be able to go from smart phone to no phone anymore.
Thank you for this Ms. Womack 😌 I've looked at all of the dumb phone videos thus far and by far my biggest reason i want to switch is the fact you where able and relearned to navigate around even an unfamiliar states and cities by memory alone like you said in the video it is a lost skill that I've always wondered why older people still have and that's because they aren't as dependent as we are on cell phones for navigation and everyday commutes. I love this series and I love the dedication you put into doing this ☮️✌️
Good for you. I was kind of worried this video was going to go the other way for you after watching your first video on switching last night. I was the first of all my friends to have a cell phone back in the late 90's and couldn't get enough of new tech. But about 12 years ago I got rid of my cell phone and never looked back. I missed the whole smart phone thing, and now everywhere I go people are just staring at their screens like zombies. I'm so glad I will never even know what the addiction of a smart phone feels like.
I know I'm dating myself here, but I grew up when there was no internet and no cell phones. I have a smart phone now. Life before the smart phone, even the dumb phone, the internet, etc., was slower and you had a lot of time to be alone with your thoughts. There wasn't this constant onslaught of information or social media. It was really nice. I don't have social media really. I only check in on FB to see how some friends are doing. I'm always surprised that I end up spending at least an hour on FB even though I try really hard not to. I'm currently cutting down on the number of apps I have on my smart phone. Honestly, most of them I don't really use.
Just came to say I’m so happy for this update! I bought my dumb phone from sunbeam wireless a month or so ago and haven’t made the jump yet. I did some mods to my iPhone to help ease the transition but and reluctant to switch. I have a month off of work coming up and decided I am going to switch my phone over during that time. I’m so glad I ever came across your videos and a little relieved to know you’re still using your dumb phone. Thank you again for your updates!
Your videos have really made me think about the time i spend on smartphones. I use my phone to study as i don't have a pc or a laptop . But i spend too much more time doing everything except studying. I'm having to think hard about all this. thank you
I saw the other videos before this about switching and I couldn’t believe you did it . But everything you say makes sense especially the navigation part . I remember when the Garmins came out our company got one for me and I remember saying to someone this thing is great but it makes you dumb. Interesting videos.
Some habbits you can try with your smart phone to try to get into asre doing things like leaving your phone at home. Using DND more often. Disable social media. For those with a samsung phone you can turn on the "ultra power saving mode" and this will disable all but the essentials on the phone but let you keep the keyboard and camera.
So true Ashton! How crazy has life become with smart technology. Stressful, anti-social, anti-productive, anti-etc.....It’s no wonder why society has disintegrated so much over say, the last 20 years. It’s heartwarming to know that we can take control back, at least on an individual basis. Let the freedom, creativity, and much needed social interaction begin!
This was a no bs video that really explains the things well without drama. Surprised to see only 12k subscribers. I also followed the same thing, I didn't know abou you though. I used dumbphone for almost 8 months. But when I used the smartphone for like 20-25 days, the bad habits started picking up fast and I was really craving to go back to the dumb phone experience that I had. I was also trying to make a video on the experiences like these only but I was not able to create those. Thanks for sharing.
im actually glad i came across your videos on this. i cant give up my smartphone for various reasons....HOWEVER, what i did take away from this was the app overload, options, the QR code things, etc. im going to take away from this the digital detox part of it. removing all apps, leaving the phone in another room, using it for minimalist things such as communication and work only and removing social media apps (i have already deleted a few over the last couple of months). i know its not totally what you did, but i can dumb down my smartphone as much as possible so to say.
I used a flip phone until 2012. Had a detachable GPS in my car. Never felt I needed a smart phone until I flew to France and was terrified I wouldn’t be able to communicate without a translator app (turned out most people spoke English anyway and I was worried over nothing). I fully acknowledge how addictive it is and how my phone is never far away. Maybe I should go back to a flip phone. It seems like it’s done wonders for you.
My questions for Q&A video: 1. How do you take pictures when there's no one else around but you want a good picture? 2. How do you navigate in unfamiliar areas? Say you need to go to a certain place but you don't know how to get there 3. Do you send SMS? If yes, how expensive is it? 4. What are you doing when waiting in a long line?
Wonderful video Ashton! My work requires being plugged in to Mail, Slack, etc so a dumb phone is not an option for me. However, I try to maintain control over my attention by deleting all apps except work apps, removing Music/Podcasts from the home screen and turning off all notifications.
Can't say that I'm surprised you went back to the Iphone, but I am surprised that you quit it again. Great synopsis of the experience. As a funny aside, a study found that women had a much higher "decision regret" factor than men. If you put free gifts of equal value into three paper bags, women reported by quite happy with whatever it was they got. However, if you upped the choice to 20 paper bags laid out, the study found that women reported far higher scores of worry, dissatisfaction, disappointment, etc. In other words, they were happy to have gotten a free gift, but they always wondered if something better was in one of the other bags because they had so many options to choose from that they were sure something better must be in one of the other bags. Even though they got something nice, and they knew the value of the gifts was all the same, they still wondered and worried, making things up in their mind. When you mentioned decision fatigue, it reminded me of the study. Glad to hear that you recognized the symptoms of addiction and the slippery slope. The phones are programmed to be addicting, to keep people on the hook, so it wasn't as shock that you'd find some "justification" for going back to it, even temporarily. Hopefully, you're videos will get a lot of traction and maybe wake some people from their slumber.
An alternative is you can also pick up an Android and disable/freeze or even remove any superfluous apps. If you are going to take that path just buy a second hand flagship, get the benefits of a decent camera, QWERTY keyboard, quality build/construction with the simplicity of a dumb phone. If you want to take it further you can replace the software or buy a phone without google, which means no play store or easy "spur of the moment" method of adding apps. I am tempted to sell less-than-smart phones. You can even pick up an android music player that can download podcasts, but has zero social apps. I have the Fiio M6 for music. The only distractions/notifications I get on my phone is for the weather, once on waking and any severe weather alerts. That's exactly what I want. If there's a notification on my phone it means it's important. I have a decent PC and have always preferred that so I never really went down the phone reliance path. Anything I want to do online usually means waiting until I am at my desk. My phone is an accessory, not my daily driver. I can use the phone browser but it's limited when compared to the desktop or laptop.
It's all about self-discipline. Phones, contents, and advertisements are a big distraction. And they are everywhere. It's about learning to focus your energy and thoughts. Meditation and exercise can help with this. Learn to identify what you need and want. I have a tough time with this too. But instead on a phone problem. It's a RU-vid binge watching problem. I should not even be watching this right now. Well, it's time to refocus again. lol
It sounds like you had an experience similar to where someone gives up an addictive substance for a period of time, but then returns to it under the belief that the clarity obtained while away from it now has given them a measure of control over it - inevitably, that turns out to be a fallacy. However, in your case you sensed the slippery slope before sliding back down it too far, which is excellent. Stick with it though,. If you want to listen to something in your car there is always the radio. Sometimes it's nice to let someone else pick the songs. Sure, there will be a few you don't like but when you hear one you do, it's even more awesome. Want to have more control over the selection? Just play a CD! Sometimes changing CDs in the car can be a hassle. So just let that album spin around a few times and you'll probably find you're enjoying that music even more. Don't have a CD player? Then maybe your car stereo has a socket for an SD card or USB drive. Make that a virtual album collection. Either way, you'll hear music every time you start the vehicle. Oh, and maybe stop calling your standard cell phone a "dumb phone", because that turn of phrase has negative connotations, therefore negative energy. And the efforts you have made to liberate yourself from the so-called "smart phone", are incredible and about as far away from "dumb" as you can get.
We use our smart phone as a dump phone! We take pictures, talk text , and make, receive calls away from home . where we have a land line VOIP with an real answering machine! Only time we answer our smart phone is when anyone in our contact list shows, if not, we hit hang up button! Real freedom for us. Great video 👍👍👍👍🙏
Thank to you (and a few other videos about this topic) I bought a semi-dumb phone (nokia 4g 6300) ... After a while, when I felt I was finally no more addicted to my smartphone, I tried the same experiment: I got it back... And I had the same experience: in the beginning it was fine, I felt mature and immune to distractions, but after a while I became addicted again. I'm back on track now and I plan to live with my nokia because it makes me less distracted, less anxious, less fatigued and more content. Thank you for your honesty!
Hi Ashton, Really inspiring to see how you gave up your smartphone! Part of the reason I havent given up my smartphone is i feel like it would cut me off from my friends and family. So i have two questions: 1. Have you felt any social isolation as a result of not being in group chats? Are your friends and family keeping you in the loop or excluding you (not intentionally) because you're simply not in the group chats? 2. Do you find people are OK with you calling instead of texting? I know a lot of people dont like phone calls and texting on a flip phone can be frustratingly slow. Really cant say how much this is inspiring me to do the same!
I know you were hoping for a reply from Ashton, and I can't speak for her, but here are my thoughts (as someone who's currently in the dumb phone switch process). 1. If you become isolated simply because you have a different phone, you have to ask how truly connected you were to begin with. Those you love will find a way, and you will find a way for those you love.
Yeah, two of the problems I have with smartphones is 'spoofed' phone calls and advertisments, and messaging is a way to avoid them. I'm wondering if using a dumbphone would eliminate this. I know Ashton mentioned she gets lots less (if no) ads, so the spoofers might be missing her; not sure if it works to eliminate messaging ads, too. As long the phone number that shows up is valid on the dumbphone you should be OK.
Man... I can't even imagine what it would be like to feel as if a virtual connection on a device were my only way of keeping close with people. I do get your question about calling/texting though. I have a brother I hardly ever talk to anymore because he simply will not ever pick up the phone when somebody calls him and he does all of his communication via text. His addiction has pretty much ruined our relationship. If something similar happens to somebody you know when you switch, just remember that's not a YOU problem. That's a THEM problem.
Are you talking about texting groups or other apps? I use a dumb phone that allows for group texting. And I have learned to use the predictive text just as fast as a smartphone keyboard. For other apps, most have computer or online versions, so you could do those instead.
I just ordered my first dumb phone in 15 years. Im really excited. Did you find that you had anxiety when out and about without a screen to look at? How did you deal with it if you did?
I'm finding your channel/videos because I'm shopping for a dumb phone, having finally accepted that my willpower is nothing compared to an army of smart programmers and engineers, all chasing the goal of keeping my attention on their apps for as much time as possible. Thank you for this (and your other) videos!
I just want to say that your videos are among the videos that gave me plenty of food for thought with regards to giving up my smart phone. I was recently going out with someone and when I told them about my feelings, they said, why would you want to go back? At some point, I’m going to stop listening to that voice in go back to a dumb phone. Thanks
I am heavily considering switching to a dumb phone. Group messaging is a must for me though, as both sides of my family have running group text threads. Does your Sunbeam phone handle group messaging well? Also, I really appreciate your adventurous spirit to try out and stick with a dumb phone. It's encouraging to see the benefits in real life rather than in theory.
Interesting findings. Thanks for the update. Glad you are back to the voice phone life! I feel like the allure of the smartphones is just inescapable sometimes.
Thanks for your videos! RU-vid recommended them when I decided to switch to "dumbphone". I just ordered one today! It was unbelievably difficult to find a phone that didn't have any kind of internet possibility. Also in my country it's difficult to find a cell phone plan without internet. Finally I found a phone that is extremely simple, only calls & text messages, Nokia 105. I love the idea because there will be absolutely nothing to lure me in to the phone. It cost me 20 euros 😊 (about the same in dollars). Now I'm waiting for it & my internet cable to arrive, since I don't want wireless internet anymore either. It's a surprisingly big process to get rid of a smartphone. I also have to figure out how to do many other things without smartphone, like buy buss tickets, tune my guitar, use a camera etc. But I'm sure it will be worth it! I'm excited about this change and the benefits I'm sure will come. Although for sure I'm going to have some withdrawal symptoms, too.
Speaking as someone with an absolute truckload of gadgets and a massive top-of-the-line smartphone with no interest in giving it up, these videos are still super fascinating to me and I've appreciated learning about this journey. As a very heavy smartphone / tablet / computer media consumer, I have this problem with podcast and media apps all the time. It's the same as social media. Every one of these apps thinks that the problem that they're solving is "discovery". The moment you open them up, they want to present you with *more*: more choices, new music, new podcasts, new apps, featured picks, editorials about how great the newest movies are, just more more more new new new all the time. And what I want is to *very rarely* go out to do some "discovery" in a dedicated context (usually while at a computer - I don't want to do this casually on my phone!) and then, having done that discovery, queue up the things I want to watch, to read, to listen to, and then just go through that queue and listen / watch / read as time allows, *without* constant interruptions from new and exciting things that I might be reading or watching or listening to or playing instead. In other words at the moment I get in the car, I want a maximum of 2 buttons: "play" and "play, but my kid is in the back seat so keep it PG". Again, I'm an absolutely inveterate tech nerd but I suspect that if they made an iPhone that you were happy to use, I'd probably want that one too. (Also, this is a bit of a nitpick, but "decision fatigue" is a somewhat discredited term. If you look at the bottom of the wikipedia page, you'll notice a brief "criticisms" section which more or less says "nobody can actually repeat the experiments that introduced the concept". The feeling you're having is obviously real, but it might more accurately be referred to as something like "overwhelm" or "analysis paralysis".)
tl;dr. Just know every piece of technology you are using right now will become worthless landfil within your lifetime. It might be 5 years, it might be 20 years. It will get there. Mental wealth is a concept that I think everyone has forgotten. I think, therefore I’m rich. My smartphone used to think for me and I was never able to stop it.
I switch between my flip phone and my smartphone quite a few times since 2019. Sometimes I can like go 6 months on my flip phone and sometimes it's like a week and half, but every time I switch back to my smartphone I fall into bad habits again and can really relate to what you said in this video. It's just too powerful of a machine to not resist, I haven't figured out how to beat it yet besides a wholesale switch to have something not a smartphone haha
My son accidentally broke his flip phone and bought an "unbreakable" tough Android phone but only bought a long-expiry SIMM that allows only phone & text and ZERO DATA.(In Australia AUD60 4G Optus prepaid last one full year)
Wow, I feel the same right now about being overwhelmed by podcasts and music. Only today I took all my music off my iPhone and took podcasts off a while ago …. And put the radio on in my car!…… aaaaaah! 💆🏼♀️
... I subscribed after watching a previous vid and felt hopeful... the beginning of this vid, I felt some real anxiety and I nearly un-subed because I thought you were going to go back to the iphone... so glad you came to your senses... thumbs up!
I remember the days when people actually knew important phone numbers from the top of their heads. Nowadays, many people can’t recite back on their own. I remember when all you needed to drive around a big city, was knowing the main roads that crisscrossed around it and a sense of NWES. Today, people can’t drive to their own office, without a nav app. I remember when writing was not only important (love letters anyone?), but also doing it in a proper way and with a nice style to it, was enough to get you noticed. Now people (especially younger generations) can barely express themselves using full words, ordinary phone calls, let alone a pen, and paper. Back when my Palm PDA was dumb, I wanted it to be smarter. Now that phones are smart, I wonder why people are way more dumb.
People in this new smartphone realm are so dumb in fact it’s known they search for answers to questions on social media instead of using Google or Bing.
I am glad to hear you went back to the dumb phone, because I agree there are just too many addictive distractions with any smart phone. I have been using a flip phone for a while now, and I know that I am much happier for it. Thank you very much for doing these videos. They’ve been very helpful.
Thanks for this video! I’m buying two old phones tomorrow for me and my husband . Totally agree with everything you say .. I’ve lost so much valuable time
I'm so glad that I came by your video while compulsively watching RU-vid videos from my smartphone 😆 Wouldn't it be cool to start some sort of movement where people from all over the world came together for a limited period of time to challenge themselves to mass-detox from smartphone addiction? Maybe this is just what the world needs!
im thinking of keeping an iPhone 13mini as a backup for things like QR codes and taking pictures and all those mandatory apps i need for (like govt apps). otherwise i wanna go with a dumb phone as my main communicator. gosh i really love what having that mental space feels like.
Ashton, I’ve tried going to a dumb phone many times, and like you … I always return to a ‘smart’ phone. The reality is it’s hard to function as. Working member of society without one.
Applaud what you’re doing! Phone calls used to be something you could only get at a location. Hence answering machines. Personally I think it made you value the call and caller a little more. Little longer conversations and cords 😝 Good luck
This is really great content. Thank you for making it. Everyone in the world should watch this!! :) I am going to make the jump to a dumb phone. I've been wanting to (that's how I found your channel). I'm excited to try it. 🙂 Also, I feel the need to call it something other than a 'dumb' phone. "Health" phone (as in mental health)? "Life" phone (because you live more of your life with it?) Not catchy enough. I'll come up with something. Thanks again for the video.
Okay now you have me intrigued about your journey! I have also switched to a dumb phone and a lot of people I see online make the switch only temporarily. Good on you for switching back. 👏 I understand the lure to have the smartphone.... They're so amazing!! Amazing at stressing us out. Lol!!
I just bought a flip phone (a senior one haha) with only whatsapp. My necassary apps I keep on my tablet (that I use for work). This way I dont have stuff on the go, but I can acces my banking/contorl my roborock. You are so right! I love it already.
My smart phone doesn't distract me because my participation in social media is minimal. But I still find ways to overload myself. The other night I was searching for a ten or twelve minute video to stream on my computer while I ate my dessert. Then I thought, "I decided that I wanted to eat this sherbet." I enjoyed just eating it. Enjoy any way you can make your own life simpler.
I've been using a full android smartwatch as my phone for about six months. It has my sim card and everything. It can do nearly all the things a smartphone can do, but the small screen is just inherently less addictive. It's not a perfect solution, but it does the job.
Hi, really enjoyed the series! For me one of the main things I use my phone for is group chats in WhatsApp and Messenger. I quit social media nearly 4 years ago and haven't looked back, but group chats is what I've fallen back to. I'm always checking my phone to see if there are any messages or I'm spending lots of time chatting in them. Would be great to know: 1. Do you have this problem? Is it sustainable to go months without? 2. Do you set any rules around using group chats? I.e - not during work hours or at all? 3. I also work at a computer for 8 hours a day. Do you use WhatsApp or Messsenger on your computer during the work day? If not, how to you resist the urge to do that?
Why would you even consider using a chat app while at work? You aren't being paid to chat with your friends. Grow up. Be an adult. Stop using your employer's time for personal use. You should not be using any social or personal apps on your work computer. If you can't control yourself, then you ought to delete those apps off your phone. It isn't that tough to do.
@@gusmonster59 yes, you’re right. I can’t control myself, I’m pathetic. I’ll resign first thing in the morning. Oh wait, I’m self employed. Maybe I should close down the business then as I’m wasting my money. Maybe you should take a moment before jumping to conclusions.
I've enjoyed your videos (I saw your video about the Sunbeam) as I have never owned a smart phone. I use plenty of tech all day, and when I walk out of the house I have no desire to continue that relationship and am satisfied with my simple flip phone. I don't rule out getting a smart phone but it's just not something I've needed. You probably have plenty of questions but here are a couple that I already think of from time to time: (1) Have you ever been in a situation where you run into a problem and you say, "If only I had a smart phone, I could solve this problem"? This hasn't happened to me yet, but who knows. (2) Do you ever consider a compromise along these lines: I myself have an iPad Mini and have been considering getting one with a data plan for times when I need that functionality and there is no wifi readily available. This would just be in my suitcase for business travel, not something I would typically carry around of course. I realize a person might say well why not at that point get a smart phone? Well, I don't care for small screens (poor eyesight) and I don't care to have a device of this type on my person at all times, that's all. Take care. - Dave
I feel as if I have trapped myself with my smartphone. I have not allowed myself to delete apps I use no longer use, nor delete apps that hook me for hours. The time or two that I minimized smartphone use, I felt more of my self identity.
Before switching to smartphones, I was very much into "feature-phones". They provided many features now associated with smartphones : GPS, web browsing (therefore : news feeds, facebook, youtube...), music/video playback, java apps... Main change with my first smartphone was this annoying notification bar : always harassing me and trying to steal my attention. Just disabled them, those from social networks, and I was back to a more normal life. Having options is better than having no option : I don't consider "decision fatigue" as a big issue. Focus is more an issue, but this is not related to smartphones : even with the dumbest phone-and-sms-only cellphone in my pocket, my computer could easily steal my focus away.
Wow I am so glad I stumbled on your channel. These series of videos hits home really well. My first phone ever was a dumb phone because that is all we had. But you hit on something that is so true. We do become dependent on checking things that we never used to and the distractions are real. tweets, pics, memes, constantly being inundated with information overload. Many of my friends won't answer a voice call but they will respond to texts. It's getting somewhat ridiculous. Don't get me wrong i don't think I could go full time to a dumb phone but for sure can change some habits that has been ingrained into daily life over the past decade or so. Changes in soicety that frankly are not the best for everyone... Thank you!
More that a year since i've shut off all notifications from both of my iPhones (corporate and private), but sometimes i still found myself dumping to the screen like a zombie. But, somehow, i used to be a teenager withount an internet a long time ago, may be it's time to bring something back from that era? Thanks a lot for your experiment!
This is interesting. Not sure why your videos showed up in my feed but they did. So I just watched your earlier video on going ‘dumb phone’ (4 months ago)… then I had to find out how it all turned out and searched for this video. Well, it looks like you kicked the suger for good - that’s awesome, congrats 👍🏽 I had to chuckle because, you mentioned taking your iPhone to the bathroom… then it hit me, I do that all the time. Not so funny when you think about it. I will have to think about all of this! Thanks for the videos. Good job!
Are you concerned with the security, privacy and anonymity while using cellular phone service? How much can Big Tech monitor your behavior? Using a flip phone is definitely a great start
I saw a video of someone else who switched to a "dumb" phone. She bought a $30 Garmin to wear in order to count her steps so that might be an option for you.
One of the reasons I sold my light phone 2 was because of their podcast app, I think that was a mistake to put that on that device. My current setup is an iphone with heavy screentime features and I put the code into a monthly time capsule.
Thanks, excellent overview on how the draw back works and the impact it has on you , and no doubt many others. Tell me - if you had to advise a younger you , (new to phones ) on what might help would you start with a smartphone again and change over to dumb phone or … dumphone and other tools to do those jobs specifically ? Thanks again.
I think the reason why she did the iPhone experiment was because for more people pulling back your phone usage is far easier than going cold turkey, so most people would pull their usage back first.
I have an Iphone, but I don't read news on it and watch RU-vid only on my laptop and I don't use social media, except Whatssapp. So I use my phone for Whatsapp, calling and my camera, also the weather app, Spotify and google maps, but that's it. My screen time on average is around 23 minutes a day. I don't feel the need to switch to a dumb phone, but I also don't want to become addicted to my phone so I decided what I can do on my phone and things I don't do.
i am taking alternate approach, i am using "lousy data plan" that limit 1GB of internet. the monthly payment is 3 times cheaper with 1GB is still enough for necessity things eg: google maps and whatsapp no problem if restaurant need QR code, i can still take picture, back to home and upload them using wifi. and i can still use uber (pre-install everything at home using wifi first) with that being said 1GB for necessity had remove the needs of tiktok, youtube, twitter etc from phone since if im at home i can just watch them from my laptop if you looking for same approach, find a data plan that can "boost the quota" so that when you are on vacation or travelling you can boost to 10GB quota for 1 week for example. want to face time with SO that outstation for 3 days? boost data plan for 3 days
The thing is, it's all between the ears. I am doing a lot with my smartphone but i don't look at each and every "ting" and "poing" on my phone. On my way i switch on the music app and listen to the radiostation i like, no podcast. I take a picture or movie with my phone but not dropping it that second on my socials. To be honest, more and more young people are stressed out because they can choose too much. As you said, "do i listen to this or that podcast", that is a bad thing and no one sees it. There is no "downtime" anymore because everyone wants your attention. You can choose to take that downtime by just not responding at every notification. Difficult? No just switch the notifications off. Turn off the numbers next to the app and look at it when you want. A dumb phone is doing just that. So it's all between the ears, you can choose to resist the temptation of every app yelling at you.
I never fell for the smart phone, but in my experience it is getting harder and harder not having one. Recently I needed a new phone and I started to question if it might be that time, if I had no real other choice than getting a smart phone. Like the society is turning away from "out dated" technologies, more and more. I have what is marketed here as a senior mobile phone, it look like your flip phone but with an SOS button on the back. QR codes, app's, etc. There will probably come a time - where there will be no other choice - or to choose to be excluded from a lot in society. My life partner does have a smart phone, and there have been times it had been useful. On occasions for maps in new locations. On the other hand I am still used to making notes on the route to take, and a sketch of the route which I use and bring along. Or just plain old school roadmaps. Or my mouth for asking. My mother was raised with the words of her father; "as long as you have a mouth and can speak the language or a language the other can understand - you are never really lost." Now this was for living in societies, not in the wild. Scouting thought me the basics of way-finding in the wilds. Born 1980 I lived my youth in the "old school" way. Skills I didn't want to lose by having a phone that in the end would be smarter then human society, after it was dumbed down. On the other hand, I have problems working the smart phone on my job. Things a three year old can do now days. I really have problems with the society our societies have turned into. Public transport, breaks and even during work, paying with phones, etc. They are everywhere, and used more and more, for more and more things. Even if I personally have no phone (Edward Snowden 2013 - revelations - are also part of that reasoning) I noticed how my YT algorithm can get influenced by thing I say surrounding others with smart phones, not including my life partner for the example even if his phone is also included with other examples. 5G going onto 6G. It takes more and more effort to find a dumb phone, most are 2G or 3G phones. So society and "improvement" by modern tech and social media? Did it get better? Is the option to opt out functional to function within the society we are turning into?
Clicked on this video after watching the video where you switched to the flip phone and you even sound different in this one. I don't know how you normally sound but in the last video you sounded relaxed. You could probably still use your iPhone as a tool and not as a tether by not having social medias and things of that nature. Just use helpful apps to lower the amount of devices you carry. That's how I use mine, says the guy that uses an MP3 player while listening to music instead of using his phone. The way I use my phone really does feel like a waste of money though. Personally, I rather not have a cellphone, but my sister freaks out cause they are important in case of emergencys and blah blah blah
The trickest part of all of this, is how hard it is to buy a dumb phone these days. I was looking for a phone without a camera, and I was unable to find one. I have a feeling it will be increasingly harder to purchase a dumb phone, because the market wants smart phones.
Why not just turn on your iPhone when you want to use the features that you want to use, then turn it off when you are done with said activity? I am very inspired by your content to think about how I'm using technology and how it affects my everyday life. I'm not sure how or why your channel came across my feed, but I'm happy it did. Have a great day!
I never had a smartphone until recently when I got one for free from tracfone because my dumb phone would not work anymore with their service. I love having one but still do not use internet. You can buy data with tracfone for $10 and have it on the phone to use when needed and I find that really useful. But it eats data fast so really cannot use it all the time. It is the best of both just having minutes and limited data.
Interesting stuff. I think all of us smart phone users feel those negatives like decision fatigue but go on not realizing. I would like to know your thoughts on whether do you think just uninstalling social media is good enough, or does commiting to a dumb phone have further benefits, in your experience.
Hi there. I use a dumbphone, but before that I actually started by deleting all of my social media off of my phone. And while that worked for a while, I didn't have enough self control, and found loop holes around it. And so I deleted most of my accounts on social media, and that helped. And I still think that was the biggest step in getting used to this new "lifestyle". Like I could easily just use my laptop to go on social media. But I found actually buying a dumbphone the most benificial. Because, at the end of the day, by having a smartphone, I could always find some way of entertainment, when waiting in line, or sitting on the bus, etc. A big factor for me was music - I could not go anywhere without it. And so by buying a dumbphone i forced myself into the real world, where i no longer could destract myself, like I used to. I've felt a huge change in behaviour. In my experience it's about the reason why you want to do it - I mostly wanted to feel more alive, and be more present overall. I still have Facebook because of uni, but it doesn't have the same "wasting hours" charm. Anyways, sorry for this long message, I didn't mean to sound like a "know-it-all", but I hope this helps a bit:)
Maybe the lack of focus etc was due to your dopamine being used all up by the iPhone. Good move to switch back. I’m thinking of doing the same. It’s nice having a big screen on your phone but u end up spending all your time watching videos instead of doing things!
Hi Ashton, Very interesting video. I have never had a cell phone and now I feel like I am being forced into getting a cell phone for things like 2 factor authentication and for security reasons. I don’t want to get sucked into over using a cell phone. Have you ever looked into those really cheap cellular services like Tello where you can actually limit your dara and mainly use your phone for texting, emergency calls and for me having a good camera like the 12 mp cameras on the iPhone would be a big plus.
All I can say is that you can use both with the proviso that your smartphone should only be on when using smart functions..it does not even need to have a sim card ..sanita
I bought a sunbeam after watching your videos! I have lots of questions for you after using a flip phone for two weeks! Are you using their premium service that includes voice to text? I don't really want to pay extra, but I'm thinking of getting it because it's way easier to speak than use their texting feature. Did you completely put your smart phone away? I still use mine at home like a tablet during the day. What are your tips on staying organized? I'm used to having my Google calendar wherever i go and can add things to a grocery list/task list when needed. This syncs with my husband's calendar as well. I went to a networking event yesterday and was embarrassed when people were exchanging digital business cards and things. They were teasing me for not using much technology and taking a break from social media. Do you attend events like these, & if so, do you carry around physical business cards?
How do you explain your decision to use a flip phone to others? I know it doesn't matter what others think, but it's still felt awkward to me in social situations. And do you use anything for navigation when driving?
I've had a dumbphone for about 15 months now and I found that the easiest explanation is to just say my switch to a dumbphone is a fun personal experiment I wanted to try out. People love to present these emergency scenarios in which you need a smartphone or suggest alternatives like deleting social media apps when you try to explain, but if you simply frame your decision as something you did on a whim they don't go prying or arguing with your viewpoints on smartphones. I also find that framing the negative effects of smartphones as a personal issue rather than a universal issue tends to avoid interrogation. People don't feel the need to argue with you when you say "I felt like my smartphone was ruining my attention span and making me feel less connected with others," rather than saying "smartphones are ruining our attention spans and making us less connected." For the most part people are very understanding though. The vast majority of people I talk to mention how they want to reduce their screen time and people are always deactivating social media when they need a break already. Switching to a dumbphone is fairly radical to most people but they don't find the motivations completely mind boggling.
I tend to say I like using my Nokia and say I use my smartphone on occasion. I don't need to say to people, well because I'm addicted etc...it's your life and don't need to lay out your life to anyone. Reading your comment, it reads, yeh but what if, how do I etc... with this alone tells me to get a dumbphone and give yourself time to detox, find your own way. No time limit to this as we're all different. But, paper and pen works well... and again, mindfulness, appreciate what you have already.
@@wild4fp she asked for what questions we have, which is why I asked. I'm sure if I'm trying to figure things out then others are too, especially as someone like me who runs an online business. 🙂
1. How has your attitude towards social media changed over the past 8 months? How has it affected your relationships and work. 2. Insights on leisure? and boredom?