Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, and for me, my phone is at the center of it all. Admitting this may be difficult, but it’s the reality I face. Throughout my waking hours, I find myself constantly attached to my smartphone, and quite frankly, I find it frustrating.
As the Mobile Editor at Tech Advisor, using my phone is a necessity for work. While smartphones offer a plethora of features that can enhance our lives, the challenge lies in separating these benefits from the well-known drawbacks.
More often than not, I reach for my phone not to utilize its useful tools, but as a means of distraction. Whether it’s to procrastinate or evade moments of discomfort, my phone has become a source of constant entertainment, eliminating boredom but also hindering genuine relaxation.
My life revolves around my phone.Â
As hard as that is to admit, it’s the truth. For basically my entire waking life, I’m tethered to my smartphone, and I hate it.Â
As Tech Advisor’s Mobile Editor, using my phone regularly is a necessity. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that – a smartphone offers tonnes of features that can enhance our lives.Â
But all too often, it feels nearly impossible to separate these benefits from the well-publicised downsides. Most of the time, I don’t reach for my phone to use one of its many handy tools; I use it as a form of distraction.Â
Whether it’s procrastinating or escaping a moment of discomfort, my phone has eliminated boredom from my life. Sadly, it’s had the same effect on any genuine relaxation.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
I knew something had to change, so I set myself a radical challenge. Could I survive for an entire week without using a smartphone? Switching to a flip phone hadn’t quite had the desired effect, so I knew I had to go further.
There was only one device for it: a ‘dumb phone’. In other words, a basic feature phone which offers access to key tools such as calls and texts, but little else. I went for the Nokia 110 I already owned – it has 4G connectivity, which is crucial at a time when many 3G networks are being switched off.
However, basically all of the other creature comforts I’ve come to rely on are missing. No Chrome! No WhatsApp! No Google Maps! A terrible camera! What had I signed up for?
Despite all these apparent downsides, I was weirdly excited to make the switch, which probably showed how much I needed it. Here’s how my smartphone-free week went.
Friday
It’s 6.30pm. I’ve finished work for the week and have a full week off to look forward to. I also have no plans to leave the city where I live – there’ll literally never be a better time to do this.
I finally muster up the courage to turn off my Nothing Phone (3a) Pro, take the SIM card out and put it into the Nokia 110. The latter is a much fiddlier job, requiring the battery to be removed first (a removable battery – what a concept!).
And just like that, the experiment has begun. So has my discomfort, so I immediately reach for the next most addictive device I own – my laptop – and am quickly soothed. Ah, the sweet hit of dopamine!
Except…it’s not quite as good when you have to mess around with a keyboard and mouse instead of just tapping and swiping. My laptop has a touch screen, but watching YouTube Shorts and Facebook Reels on such a massive display just feels wrong.
It also goes against what my goal is for this experiment: using technology more mindfully.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
So, in another radical move, I block the sites I know will be most distracting. These are the usual suspects: a few news sites and social media apps. The restrictions are easy enough to get around, but I’m hoping there’ll be enough friction there to make me think twice.
After dinner, I suddenly realise I’d planned to call my grandma. Will she even be able to hear me on such a cheap, basic phone?
But this is what dumb phones do best. Call quality throughout our 30-minute conversation is excellent, and at no point does it feel like a downgrade compared to a smartphone. I doubt my grandma can tell I’m using a different phone – she certainly didn’t mention it.
Saturday
I’m visiting my parents today, which I know will make not having a smartphone much easier. I rarely use it when I’m with them anyway.
However, I didn’t consider the morning walk we go on first, where there are multiple opportunities to take great photos. You should’ve seen the look on my dad’s face when I whipped the Nokia out of my pocket! Miffed would be an understatement.
As he snaps away with the Xiaomi 13 Pro, I can’t help but feel a twinge of envy, even if I’d have only copied the shots he was taking. But I’m also enjoying being free from the usual pressure to document my life. It’s a refreshing feeling.
Most of the rest of the day, I genuinely enjoy not having a smartphone. Except when my parents’ printer isn’t working and I have to borrow one of their phones to get the manual. Ugh.
Before I know it, it’s been over 12 hours since I last checked WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. In that time, I’ve missed a grand total of…zero messages.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Sunday
I’m calling a friend in Malaysia this morning. Can confirm: WhatsApp calls work just fine on a laptop, even when the phone it’s linked to is switched off. 2.5 hours fly by with nothing more than minor issues, which I think are internet-related anyway.
In fact, the only real problem I encounter today is my shopping list, which usually lives on Google Keep. Switching to a paper version is probably the easiest swap I make all week, though, while ditching my virtual loyalty card for the physical one isn’t exactly difficult.
Before I know it, it’s been over 12 hours since I last checked WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. In that time, I’ve missed a grand total of…zero messages
However, getting used to looking at only one screen at a time (I know, I know) is proving a challenge. Sometimes, I give in and use my laptop, but try to keep my attention on the football match as much as possible. It’s not helped by what might be the most boring Manchester derby ever.
Monday
I’ve booked a massage for my first official day off. This would be slightly nerve-wracking at the best of times, but I also have to navigate to an unfamiliar location and have no proof of my booking. Shudder.
Cue looking up the 7-minute walk on Google Maps about 20 times. In the end, it’s easy to find, and an hour later, I’m feeling like a whole new man.
A few minutes into my afternoon of journalling (on my laptop – I’m not perfect), I feel a sense of calm and focus that I haven’t had in weeks. It’s taken a few days, but not using a smartphone is making me feel a lot more present.
Tuesday
Another scary Google Maps-free navigation has arrived. This time, it’s a 45-minute walk to a country park I’ve never visited. Am I crazy?
No, no, I’m not. The obsessive route checking before I left might’ve helped, but it turns out there are these things called signs that point you in the right direction when trying to find something. Who knew?
In the end, making it to the park is a breeze, and I enjoy a lovely couple of hours reading and walking around the lake, before heading to the nearby cafe.
Sitting alone around lots of couples and families makes me feel a bit awkward, so I instinctively turn to my phone. But let me tell you, when Snake is your only option for distraction, it’s better to stay in the real world (please don’t come for me, Snake fans).
