My Stupid Smartphone

Statistics on Smartphone Use

• 62% of adults hate how much time they spend on their smartphones.
• 54% of teens say they spend too much time on them.
• 60% of family members wish others would unplug more.

Just Be More Disciplined
They tell me, “Dave, you just need to be more disciplined”. Smart thinking Einstein! Why didn’t I think of that? So I had my kids put codes on my phone and set time limits. I offered cash penalties to them, swore I’d never have my smartphone in the bedroom etc… but it never lasted long. A wise man once said, “Discipline does not need to sit on the edge of temptation”.

Racking Up A Bill
We are racking up a bill our children will have to pay dearly for later. This is very serious. The results of dozens of psychological, medical and scientific studies are consolidated below. We’re on track to be the dumbest and most miserable people ever because of the distractive nature of smartphones. The studies show:

Intellectually
We are the least imaginative or creative. Least able to think deeply, critically, analyze, focus or concentrate. We have the lowest IQ, worst academic performance and are the least productive at work - MIT and others proved multi-tasking puts out less and worse work.

Socially
We are the least social and socially adjusted, least confident, able to read other’s emotions and most isolated.

Emotionally
We have the lowest self esteem, feel loneliest, unhappiest, most unattractive, unsatisfied, depressed and most anxious. We are the least fulfilled and most likely to commit suicide.

Physically
We are the most physically unhealthy, addicted to porn, narcissistic (think about ourselves), out of shape, overweight, least playful, have the most eye problems and sleep the least in all of recorded history. Read Why We Sleep. It’s shocking.

How I Got Rid Of My Smartphone
Lop Off Your Leg
If I had a rotten smelling infected leg, I’d do whatever it took to stop the rot before it gave me huge problems for not doing it sooner, even if I had to lop it off. If I were an alcoholic, then I’d start by quitting my job at the bar.

Burn the Smartphone Ship
So I cut off my smartphone completely. Lopped it right off and sold it to the hot dog factory. It was a little painful at first, but I’ll NEVER look back and say, “Man, I really regret getting rid of that smartphone”. I’m not just going to be using it less or give it to my kids . I’m dropping it all together.  

This is How I Upgraded to First Class
I’m not dropping my MacBook Pro or my iPad or my friends on social media and go live in a cave. I’m just getting rid of that distracting little computer in my pocket. Here’s what I did to upgrade my life to the way it used to be.

• I got the super cool Light Phone 2 that doesn’t have internet, Temple Run or Solitaire. It only has calling, texting, music, a calculator and an alarm. And then I made a cool leather case for it. What should I do with all of the money I’m saving?
• I designed my own leather Daily Planner and transferred my wallet into it like I used to do. I joined the ranks of the millions of other professionals who primarily use a Daily Planner to stay organized.
• I bought a small retro looking Fujifilm camera that takes WAY WAY WAY better photos and videos than my iPhone and I designed a cool leather camera case and strap for it. I bluetooth photos and videos to my iPad to upload and send out.
• I have a place in the house where I uncomfortably STAND with a timer to check weather, sports scores or read the news after 6 p.m. And I pay the kids $20 each if I spend more than 5 minutes at a time on it or if I remove it from the countertop.
• I bought a red alarm clock so it doesn’t light the room at night - The RISE alarm clocks wake you peacefully and slowly with light, bird sounds or scents.

 

Arguments For Smartphones and My Answers

• But Google Maps - Use your car navigation, a real map or stop to ask people. Check or memorize your route before you leave.
• But I keep in touch with so many people - Do it on a computer. But to catch up with them on one deep purposeful call is better than 1000 short and shallow messages.
• I find restaurants on my smartphone - How often do you do that? Only when in a new place. Check the internet before you leave or ask a local.
• The camera in my pocket is so convenient - Yes it is. But we often miss out on the joy of the moment because we’re watching it through the screen of a smartphone.
• My smartphone camera takes great videos and pics - No it doesn’t. You just got used to eating plain unseasoned food. You get MORE pics, but generally WAY lower quality ones. How many have you framed lately?
• Web surfing at my fingertips is so helpful - So you can know how tall Tom Cruise is? It keeps you from doing meaningful things. And there’s not just porn, but a ton of other unhealthy smut to fill your mind there.
• But I keep up with current events - Of the 1000 stories they could report on, they only show you the few that back up their narrative and that make them the most money on ads. Drop the news for a month and see what happens.
• It’s super easy to send and upload photos/videos - I’ll concede that one. But it’s also simple to transfer excellent photos and videos to your iPad or MacBook to send out.
• It’s convenient to answer emails while waiting - Take in your surroundings. Most highly successful people in the world efficiently answer emails only once a day.
• But I’m never bored - Studies show that boredom is very healthy and brings creativity, better problem solving and more efficient and better work.
• But I watch movies on it - Don’t live your life just to be entertained. Learn, do, create, use your imagination and grow instead. And watch movies on a laptop.
• Calendar and Reminders - I designed my own cool leather planner and found it’s WAY easier and I’m more efficient with it. Set alarms.
• But I enjoy the games - Sure, I do too, but too much hurts you. Take in your surroundings, read a book or connect with people around you.
• But I listen to music, books and podcasts in my car - Me too. Just connect an iPad or buy some harmonicas and try to play with the radio.
• But I read books on it - Studies show we recall 30% more if reading an actual paper book.
• I use productivity apps to get more done. - I don’t want to get more done. I want to slow down and do fewer but more meaningful things.

 

The Benefits of Getting Rid of Your Smartphone
Is your smartphone helping you to achieve life goals and become the kind of man or woman you want to be? Or that you want your kids to be? They’ll value the same things as you and likely marry someone with your values too.  

Life’s Hard and Then You Die
The death rate in your part of the world is 100%. And when you’re dead, everyone is going to forget your name and people who didn’t earn or deserve what you worked for are going to fully enjoy it, give it away, fight over it or squander it. So why work so hard and do so much? Enjoy life now. There’s a GREAT book on the subject called Ecclesiastes. Check it out.

Why Run When You Can Walk?
I am purposefully removing things from my life and forcing myself to slow down. A very wise man said, “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you die”. In Bora Bora they told me, “Why run when you can walk?”. Why go so fast? For what? The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry is the best book I’ve read in 15 years. Check it out.

Driving Instead of Flying
Our family just took a 17 hour road trip from Fort Worth, Texas to our leather factory in Leon, Mexico. From 35,000 ft. and at 500 mph, you can’t see the thick Joshua Tree forests, the majesty of the towering mountains, horses in the pastures or the blooming cacti. We had lots of conversation and laughter and made lifelong memories in those 3 days, which would have otherwise been 3 days forgotten.

There’s more joy in smelling 3 roses along the sidewalk than in seeing 1000 roses out the car window. Joy and beauty is often found slowing down and diving into the depths rather than skipping across the surface.

More Benefits of a Smartphone Free Life

At Work 

Take better photos with depth of field again on a real camera.

• Focus at work is stronger
• More gets done at work
• Better work because there are fewer distractions
• Ability to digest and think deeply for better solutions
• Processing info increases without a smartphone

At Home

• You become more patience
• Get more done in life
• Happier
• More creativity
• Kids feel more important
• Friendships that matter get deeper
  
  

Be An Influencer

With Your Kids
Kids watch our videos more than they listen to our audio to learn how to take control of life, deal with problems and prioritize what’s important. They’re watching us to learn how to be parents, spouses, and what to value in life. If we SHOW them we value quality family time, engagement, slowing down, unplugging, reading, learning, conversation, etc., they will too.

With Your Friends
And you may just be that positive peer pressure nudge that helps a few others around you do the same and impact the lives of their families too. The lifelong impact of you getting rid of your smartphone may multiply and positively affect more people than you could ever imagine.

Parenting With Smartphones

Your Kid’s Advantage
Kids, regularly on smartphones, whose minds are still forming, may be permanently damaged, and those kids who aren’t have higher IQ’s and will be their superiors for life. Give the gift of a smartphone free life to your kids.

Russian Roulette With Kids
What if there were a 1 in a 100 chance that your kid subconsciously felt that what was on your phone was more important than they were because your phone gets more time than they do? And that low self-esteem caused them a hard life? Would you still stay on your phone so much? Honestly, I did. Better to be in a coma for 2 years and give them no attention than to be there and not give them your attention.

Don’t Feel Bad About It
Feeling bad about not letting kids have smartphones is like feeling bad about not letting them drink Coke and eat candy for every meal and then nibble on little bits of arsenic in the evenings. And if you get rid of yours, they can’t complain and call you a hypocrite. By the way, Parenting with Love and Logic is a GREAT GREAT book.

Watch The Social Dilemma together on Netflix. Oh my gosh, it’s shocking what the smartphone and social media designers say. 38 Million people watched it the first month it came out.

Shame On You Olive Garden
Olive Garden, you should be ashamed of yourself for offering screens at every table for kids to play games and watch shows on. Whatever makes more money, right? Boo on you!!!

Problems and Dangers of Smartphones

• Can foster inappropriate relationships
• Interrupts face to face conversations with friends and family
• Communication with friends and family tanks.
• Lowers our mood
• Not engaging with the family - Instead of interacting or reading marriage or parenting or imagination stimulating books together.
• When we read, it forces us to imagine the story in our heads. That creates important pathways in the brain that help with math, science, creativity and all kinds of other things we don’t know about. We tell our kids they have to be in bed by 9 but they can read for an extra 30 minutes or just go to bed.
• Anxiety - Reading all of the negative news - My nephew just follows uplifting people and deleted all others.
• Stress - Reading all the news, work emails.
• Wasted money - $1700 per year plus $1000 to buy the phone every year or every other year. What could you do with that money? Go on an African safari? Collect Leather-bound books? Collect coins? Buy a nice camera? Guitar?
• Poor sleep. Not sleeping 8 hours a night because your sleep hormone didn’t release as much to build up to sleep soundly. All because of that smartphone light.
• People who read on a screen don’t catch abstract concepts as well as on paper books
• Hurts family life - The toddler playing in the bathtub while parent is on the phone
• Hurts spiritual life - Less Bible reading and prayer. Phone is too distracting
• Hurts social skills - Don’t get much practice one on one in deep conversations and conflict resolution. It’s easier to get on the phone.
• No conversations while waiting at the barber, dental clinic, etc.
• Vacations don’t relieve stress because of checking in.
• Not listening to people as well
• Dissatisfaction with our boring life when we see the best of other peoples’
• Distracted when talking to people. Makes people feel not as important.
• Less hobby time which your mind needs to get off of a subject to solve it.
• No reading books - stops personal growth
• No more writing letters - too busy
• Shallow relationships - best friend and I haven’t talked about how his mom is or how our marriages are in over a year.
• Not playing games with kids or reading to younger kids.
• Can’t remember directions anymore - Navigating with maps. Looking at an atlas you can see cool things along the way you would have missed with your GPS. Memory so weak you have to rely on a smartphone?
• Numbing out and not working on our relationships
• Fewer chores done around the house
• People don’t know how to entertain themselves
• News is always negative and that’s all we feed our lives with
• Less family time
• Possible long term health effects up to head and in pocket near your private parts. We’re doing things today that we’ll have to pay the bill for later.  
• Privacy - I don’t have anything to hide, but do you like being tracked and monitored by big tech and the government and them listening to every word you say?

Obscene Wealth From Our Lives
Does it bother you that just a few people are getting obscenely rich on our destruction and privacy and they now control so much of our lives? They didn’t intend for smartphones to be so damaging, but it seems they’re okay with it.  

I will never look down my nose at anyone who reads this and keeps their smartphone, as if I am superior to them because of this. And you shouldn’t either. More than anything, I wrote this to me to convince myself that I needed to get rid of it. I am not you and we don’t have the same self control, the same relationships, nor do we have the same mind. I hope you enjoyed it.