one year without a smartphone | dumb phone Q&A

The first thing you notice when you ditch your social media and all the smart stuff is that nobody notices you missing. Then you realize how many friends you really have. It might hurt, but it actually helps you keep going on the healthy path.

When my colleagues saw my Nokia they laughed and asked me why I had it. I told them I found smart phones too addictive. They all stopped laughing and started nodding in thoughtful agreement

One thing I've enjoyed about the dumb phone life is rediscovering journals and books. My calendar and to-do lists are in a notebook. I write by hand -- it feels great. I throw a book in my backpack if I know I'm going to be waiting around somewhere. Interacting with the material world offers a lot pleasures we've forgotten.

I'm 47 years old and had dumb phones for the last 19 years. I don't want a Smart phone. I have a laptop. I watch Youtube. I have no social media. I get out and bike in the morning and try to be productive. I'm still alive and doing just fine without a Smart PHone. Many people think I'm weird but I don't care.

One of the problems about dumbphones in general is that their market is focused on elderly, which I found really ridiculous and that keeps the youth from buying them. Every time you ask for one of those phones they assume you are buying it for your grandma... It's disturbing.

I have tried simply removing apps but I fall right back into the hole and re-download. I miss the times of present and not looking down at phones every waking minute.

Thanks for coining the term "digital minimalist". I got rid of my smartphone, streaming services, etc. some time ago and I really like that term to describe a lifestyle that is basically "a normal person in the 2000s"

Thanks for the update, glad to hear the "dumb phone" life is still treating people right here in 2022. I grew up in the 80's and 90's; I vaguely recall the better days before social media and "apps" ran everyone's lives.

I lacked self control and would delete apps, but then 5 hours later, redownload them. I realized it was a real problem. So I asked my husband to put child locks on my phone. I can’t download any apps myself. I have to have him enter a code to download anything. It has been amazing. I can still take photos, and still have GPS and email, but that’s really it. And I LOVE it. I’m 28, and won’t go back. It’s been almost a year now. I even found that I really enjoy gardening and have so much more free time without the endless scrolling on apps.

I did remove distracting apps, I had a gray scale for 6 months too, plus no notifications. It didn’t make a difference… yes, it reduced the time but sometimes I would literally check nothing. It’s so annoying!! So, I am going back to a flip phone - can’t wait!!

I think life is richer in so many ways without a smart phone, I also grew up before the era of mobile phones, I cycle to work most days and pass people walking along interacting with their phones the whole time, I think they are missing out on the world around them and it's beauty. The questions people asked you show how dependent young people are on smart phones now, it seems sad to me that they are. I'm glad to see that some young people are fighting against this.

Life was truly lived before smartphones came along. Now everyone is lost to their phones never really concentrating on the real world

Nice work, Ashton. Great summary. I switched from a Galaxy Note 8 to a Nokia 2720V flip four months ago - it's been a great experience. I simultaneously ditched 90% of social media. It's hard to describe the feeling, but I feel like I was just released from jail. 😁 Thanks again, best of luck.

Mp3 player with blutooth solves the car issue! I love it

I switched to the same Sunbeam phone a few months ago and it has been life changing. I love it so much! There's truly a major difference in my behavior with my phone since I made the switch. I don't think I'll ever go back!

This video really resonated with me. Many of your points are things I’ve been thinking for years. I grew up & learned to drive without a phone of any kind. Many things are still possible without carrying around a tiny computer in your pocket ALL the time. Thank you for this!

Its ironic.. we got all of this amazing technology . .we are able to communicate with one another over fast distances in seconds.. and still .. we go back to a simpler time where things went slower .. maybe back in the day many things where indeed better..

I think this is a path I will have to take. I've tried to use my Smartphone minimally so many times and have failed. I am in the group of people that just barely remembers what it was like before all phones had screens, and it is my opinion that our brains functioned better; especially when it comes to attention and awareness. I think there's a reason why so many of us have begun to wonder if we have ADHD. Massive changes have massive impact, even if those changes are sneaky and slow. I think a lot of my issues are from the changes tech has made to my escapist brain.

It’s interesting to hear your experiences. I don’t see myself giving up my iPhone, because as a blind person I use my iPhone just for a lot of daily tests in addition to what most people already use their phones for. But it’s definitely interesting to watch.

Great video - I am a flip phone user and I find that a lot of what you have experienced is the same for me too. I think if I traveled more I'd use an external GPS but I am usually in my home town. I remember street names, directions, and where things are SO much better than before and it sure is a confidence boost! Looking forward to your next video on this topic. Also, I've gotten so good at T9 texting that if I am texting someone in a conversation they don't even notice - I type just as fast as them. I guess that's because my first phone was a flip phone, it's like riding a bike, you don't forget! lol