Regressing (or perhaps, progressing?) to a flip phone is the best choice I have ever made for myself and my family. I have had a flip phone since June of this year and it has been a huge help in becoming more present in the present. And it also makes me painfully aware of everyone else's smartphone compulsions. It is certainly less convenient, but I think that we have a cultural addiction to convenience. Anyway, I recommend (for anyone thinking about leaving the smartphone world behind) to research "smart" dumb phones: phones that have some modern amenities without also being a portal straight to doomscrolling hell. I have the F1 Horizon by Sunbeam Wireless, and it has things like maps, weather, voice-to-text, and hotspot capabilities. My husband is waiting on the Lightphone 3.
Full disclosure, the things that my smartphone made convenient now need to be done intentionally, and that feels in many ways like inconvenience. For example, for years I made a grocery list and went into the store and bought the groceries on that list. With the advent of store pickup or (to my great joy) delivery, I could make my grocery order on an app and then have my groceries shopped FOR me. Now that I have left the smartphone life behind, I crack open the laptop and shop in a web browser instead. So really, it's still leagues above my life 10 years ago, but somehow it still feels like a letdown compared to having Kroger literally in the palm of my hand.
Some other possibilities: Consider setting a time limit on yourself. I try not to use screens (don't have a television, so that means computer and smart phone) after 7 p.m. Consider taking a book with you next time you might be sitting in waiting room for an appointment. Thinks about leaving your phone at home more; you really don't need to have it every time you go for a walk or a drive somewhere. If you are with other people - at a restaurant, for example - and you have your phone with you, you might want to say to the others, sorry, I forgot to turn my phone off before we arrived. And then visibly shut it down and put it away. Etc.
This described so much of my experience/issues with my smart phone. Not having TV has been a huge blessing in our house, and I highly recommend crocheting, cross-stitching/embroidery, and weaving as hobbies to help battle default turning to the smart phone. I have issues with my smart phone usage I’m trying to work on, and I can’t imagine how worse off I would be without my hobbies to offer alternative dopamine hits
Regressing (or perhaps, progressing?) to a flip phone is the best choice I have ever made for myself and my family. I have had a flip phone since June of this year and it has been a huge help in becoming more present in the present. And it also makes me painfully aware of everyone else's smartphone compulsions. It is certainly less convenient, but I think that we have a cultural addiction to convenience. Anyway, I recommend (for anyone thinking about leaving the smartphone world behind) to research "smart" dumb phones: phones that have some modern amenities without also being a portal straight to doomscrolling hell. I have the F1 Horizon by Sunbeam Wireless, and it has things like maps, weather, voice-to-text, and hotspot capabilities. My husband is waiting on the Lightphone 3.
Full disclosure, the things that my smartphone made convenient now need to be done intentionally, and that feels in many ways like inconvenience. For example, for years I made a grocery list and went into the store and bought the groceries on that list. With the advent of store pickup or (to my great joy) delivery, I could make my grocery order on an app and then have my groceries shopped FOR me. Now that I have left the smartphone life behind, I crack open the laptop and shop in a web browser instead. So really, it's still leagues above my life 10 years ago, but somehow it still feels like a letdown compared to having Kroger literally in the palm of my hand.
Some other possibilities: Consider setting a time limit on yourself. I try not to use screens (don't have a television, so that means computer and smart phone) after 7 p.m. Consider taking a book with you next time you might be sitting in waiting room for an appointment. Thinks about leaving your phone at home more; you really don't need to have it every time you go for a walk or a drive somewhere. If you are with other people - at a restaurant, for example - and you have your phone with you, you might want to say to the others, sorry, I forgot to turn my phone off before we arrived. And then visibly shut it down and put it away. Etc.
This described so much of my experience/issues with my smart phone. Not having TV has been a huge blessing in our house, and I highly recommend crocheting, cross-stitching/embroidery, and weaving as hobbies to help battle default turning to the smart phone. I have issues with my smart phone usage I’m trying to work on, and I can’t imagine how worse off I would be without my hobbies to offer alternative dopamine hits