When I was 12, I begged my parents for a smartphone for my birthday. Now, at 24, I’m begging to be free of it.
Having grown up as a ‘digital native’, my attachment to my phone feels both like an obligation and a bad habit I can’t break. I check personal emails at work and work emails at home. I’ll grab my phone to check the weather, then somehow end up doom-scrolling my way down the Reels rabbit hole.
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And I’m not alone. The average Australian spends five and a half hours on their phone every day, nearly 40 hours a week. My screen time is lower than this, sitting at about three hours per day. Despite knowing that too much time on my phone makes me feel anxious, overwhelmed, guilty, and generally gross, I can’t seem to unglue myself from its screen.
In the past few months, I’ve seen articles cropping up online about young people joining the growing luddite movement, swapping their smartphones for ‘dumb phones‘ that only allow for basic calls and text messages. In doing so, they hope to rebuild their attention spans, take up new hobbies, improve their mental health, and build meaningful community and connection, in real life.
Inspired by the neo-luddites, I decided to buy a second-hand Nokia 2660 flip phone and embark on a digital detox for a whole month.
The parameters
1. I’d swap out my iPhone for a flip phone for a month. During this time, my iPhone would remain switched off, in my kitchen drawer.
2. I allowed myself to use social media on my laptop, mostly to check existing group chats to make plans.
3. I’m generally not required to use my phone for my job, so in theory I’d be able to go cold turkey. But if it was totally necessary, I could use my iPhone to fulfil a particular purpose.
The highlights
Without a doubt, the best part about using a flip phone was that it set really clear boundaries between the time I spent on work, leisure, connection, and rest. By removing the easy distraction of my phone, I was immediately more present and engaged in each moment – whether it was cooking dinner with my boyfriend, staying focused at work, or just watching a movie at the end of the day.
It was also really liberating to resist the urge to constantly be productive or occupied, and let my mind slow down. I quickly got comfortable reading a book on the train and people-watching while waiting for friends at a cafe.
I didn’t need to check my emails on my way into the office, or scroll through Instagram on my lunch break (in fact, once I no longer had access to it, my urge to check Instagram vanished). I felt as though I had way more mental space and was able to enjoy doing less, much more.
The biggest challenges
I’d have loved to come out of this experiment ready to ditch my smartphone and embrace a peaceful, luddite reality, but there are some real conveniences that are hard to do without.
For one, not having my online banking or Google Maps on hand took some getting used to. While there were workarounds, it meant that basic things required much more planning ahead. I also missed listening to music and podcasts on the go, particularly when walking to work or going for a run.
Unfortunately, there are also things that are now embedded into our lives that make it basically impossible to opt out of smartphone use completely. I was caught out a few times by in-app verification codes, two-factor authentication, and QR codes when trying to log into sites like WhatsApp and my bank. In these instances, I had no choice but to crack out my smartphone.
So, what’s next?
Ultimately, I’ve learned that I want to use my smartphone as a tool, not a toy. I’m considering ways that I can ‘dumb down’ my smartphone, without limiting its functionality completely.
I won’t be going full luddite and giving up my podcasts, Google Maps, or my online banking, but I’m avoiding using my phone as a source of entertainment and reaching for it during down time as much as I can.
I’m keeping Instagram deleted for good (at least during the week) and leaving my phone on silent in my handbag when I’m out, and in my kitchen drawer when I’m home. I’ll call my friends, let my mind wander in the line at the supermarket, and take my book on the train. Let’s hope it sticks.
For more on digital detoxes, try this.
This article I used a flip phone for a month to try reset my attention span appeared first on Fashion Journal.
2025-04-09 09:05:00
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