choosing a dumb phone
After reading Cal Newport's Digital minimalism, I decided to finally take a step away from constant connection. Before I read the book, I had already made some kind of choice - I wanted to reduce the amount of time I spent on my phone.
I had become aware of the compulsiveness in my phone use. I reached for it, instinctively, at every interval throughout the day. I'd lost hours scrolling, searching, checking. Mostly on social media or shopping sites, and then WhatsApp, email, and so on. The argument had already been won by the time I read Newport's book, but he did offer some practical advice on how to kick the habit.
An important point was that simply trying to limit phone use gradually doesn't work. You need to make a radical change. Otherwise, you'll slip right back. Modern smartphones are designed for habitual use - they want your time and attention.
I didn't want to spend hundreds on a fancy new 'minimalist phone', and I didn't want to regress all the way back to a flip phone. So, I dug out my old Google Nexus 5. Nothing wrong with it, just superseded by an upgrade. It was released more than ten years ago (2013) and makes a sharp contrast to my current Google Pixel 7 in both computing power and screen size. Certainly a radical change.
After ordering some parts - a new SIM tray and a SIM card adapter - I managed to fire it up. The Nexus can still run most apps but, after a factory reset, the only extra app I've allowed myself is Spotify so that I can still listen to music at the gym or whilst travelling. That means no Instagram, no WhatsApp, no Netflix.
I still have access to essential functions. I can text, I can call, I can use the maps application, and I can still access the internet via the browser. But the phone is just too small and too slow for habitual use. Now, it's an actual phone, augmented with a few modern tools.
Something I did immediately miss was the ability to use NFC for contactless payments. Google Pay isn't supported on the older operating systems, so I found myself carrying both phones or taking a wallet with me. Then I had an idea. I found a slim, elasticated fabric card holder that could be attached to the back of the phone with adhesive strips. It was a very simple solution, and cheap. Now I take my little Nexus 5 with two debit cards neatly tucked into its 'back pocket'. No NFC, or physical wallet, required.
The most striking difference after switching to my 'dumb phone' is a genuine feeling of disconnection. The phone in my pocket is no longer a portal to what's happening somewhere else. There is a wonderful practice of aloneness that comes with that disconnection. I have a little longer each day to process my own thoughts. And, just as Newport claims, there is a sense of satisfaction in making the choice not to stay connected. I leave the house and stroll down the road, just me.