The Smartwatch as a dumb phone
The smartwatch is the most effective device for curing your smartphone addiction, full stop.
This is a bold and counter-intuitive claim, smart watches are made to keep you connected, aren’t they? That was likely their original design intention. Modern smartwatches can be used without your smartphone being on your person, and that’s where the magic lies.
The Addiction
Algorithmic feed addiction is a real problem. Modern feeds like TikTok and Instagram exploit a software bug in the bio-computer we call a brain to flood us with dopamine and keep us hooked. I never had issues with traditional addictions, but I found myself waking up from a YouTube Shorts-fueled fugue state, wondering how much of my life I had just swiped away.
I tried using apps and timers to block access, uninstalling, changing my screen to black and white, and using minimalist launchers, but the real problem is access. No matter what restrictions I put in place, I would betray myself and find a way to bypass them when I inevitably got bored and craved a dopamine kick.
If this sounds like you, the only way to stop is to stop bringing your phone.
Impossible!
When I tell people I’ve stopped keeping my phone on me and suggest they do the same the response is always the same, “Oh wow, that’s good for you but, I just couldn’t do that”. When pressed on why there’s always some mix of apps and media, they insist they couldn’t live without. Smartphones universally make everyone feel this way by weaponizing convenience. When users do a Digital Self-Assessment, they find that very few smartphone features are truly essential, but the list of “conveniences” they provide is extensive. - List some conveniences as examples
- These conveniences come with a steep attention cost.
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- The smartwatch does the essential things and provides good friction to the unnecessary