At the beginning of the year I decided to switch to a "dumb phone" called a Light Phone, which really is a phone that has limited functionality, i.e. not connected to the internet or app stores. I did this because I wanted to see if this would make me less addicted to my phone and more productive in life. I'm focused on learning a few languages, attempting to read 100 books this year and creating my music and art as my new vocation (more on this in future posts 😄).
The Details
The Light Phone costs about $300 and with their cellular plan of 1 gig a month it costs about $30 a month for service. The phone can become a hotspot for using that data plan but the phone itself doesn't connect to the internet.
It is a small, kindle like black/white e-reader that is beautifully crafted. By design it is meant to help you live without Big Tech companies by avoiding "Surveillance Capitalism" and the "Attention Economy". Their website states "you are the customer, not the product. This is a phone for humans".
How refreshing!
As someone who had already decided to get off of social media (more about that in an upcoming blog article as well) I was already weaned off of tech more than the average person but I found myself compelled to pick up my iphone quite often. Using this Light Phone helped me become more comfortable leaving home without a phone and not always being tied to a phone as an extension of myself.
Unexpected Benefits
One of my favorite unexpected benefits from this experiment was that I found texting on the light phone to not be as easy and intuitive as it was on a regular smart phone so I started calling and speaking to people on the phone more often than texting. This was a very positive component to the switch as I felt more connected to the people in my life and was able to hear their voice and the rich communication context that is lost in texting culture.
Most people get little sips of connection from text messages and emojis when in reality we want a big gulp of connection through quality time together or long conversations on the phone where we can really feel seen and heard.
The Challenges
For me, I kept my iPhone as a backup for a few apps that had me needing to bring it along on occasion.
- Google Maps, although there was a GPS option on the Light Phone, it wasn't as effective as using Google Maps. With Google Maps, I could load up directions when I had a WiFi signal and be on my way.
- Lyft/Uber, the convenience of using ride share apps for travel is much more effective than finding a taxi so when I needed a ride I would go back to the iPhone and use it to get around.
- Authenticator App, this one I don't use often but at times it is needed to MFA (multi factor authentication) into sites that are more secure. If you don't use MFA or an Authenticator App I would highly recommend it. It is basically an app that has a 6 digit code that refreshes every 60 seconds that can allow you to securely connect to a site by entering that continuously changing code which no one else has access to.
- Pictures, my old smart phone really started to become more of a camera as I removed most apps and only used these few services.
Slowing Down
Whenever someone would send me a picture or a hyperlink via text I wouldn't be able to see the picture on the Light Phone or be able to open the hyperlink but there was a cool function that link/picture could get forwarded to my email when the Light Phone is connected to a wifi signal.
I enjoyed this as artifically slowed me down at times. This ultimately gets to the point of the phone for me. Life is so much more interesting than these magic light boxes we all carry around with us. By having to take extra steps to get a picture, by making my phone less addictive in taking away a great deal of functionality I am better able to be present and enjoy the moment without the assistance of an artificial piece of technology.
Going back
I recently was offered a lower internet rate on my internet service. Spectrum won me over Google Fiber by cutting my internet bill from $80 a month down to $40 and with this they offered a free year of phone service when switching to them. Unfortunately Light Phone doesn't work with Spectrum (they do work with some other providers like T-Mobile/AT&T/Verizon) so I decided to go back to the iPhone.
Final Reflections
I definitely think I felt happier using the Light Phone, even if there were a few inconveniences and at times I needed to bring the iPhone as a backup. I was less compelled to pick up the smart phone and was able to use my energy and attention in better ways.
I was in the process of selling a house and I found the need to send videos and pictures a necessity so I ended up using What'sApp on the iPhone backup more often as a means for sending convenient text/audio/video.
Overall, this was a worthwhile experiment that I would recommend to others.
The Final Frontier
I have discovered within myself the final frontier that I wish to travel to.
Not having email on my phone at all.
I'm interested in checking email once a day, on a scheduled internval. This will increase my productivity and lessen the dopamine hits I get every time I look to see if there is a new message.
Being so connected with the world has some benefits but ultimately I have found there are a greater set of negative consequences that make creating constraints around our technology a very positive option for health and well being, along with productivity.
If you are interested in exploring this further, I would highly recommend reading one of my favorite books, Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport.
My favorite quote from Cal's book is that "either you choose how you use technology, or the technology will choose for you". We live in a world where the billions invested in making technology addictive will require us to make intentional choices on how we use our phone and devices, what choices will you make?