I took a huge step back to go forward.

I needed to get honest with myself about how I really use my phone. Carrying it around is a pain and I’m not entirely sure it’s worth it.

A quick list of things that I do with my phone every day:

  1. Music
  2. Texting
  3. Notes (lots and lots of TODOs)
  4. Pay for things.
  5. …uh…Balatro

Things I do with my phone a couple of times a week:

  1. Check email
  2. Take a picture
  3. Look at Mastodon
  4. Buy stuff online

The things I do daily (minus the time suck that is Balatro) can be done with another device. A device that is simpler, out of the way, and doesn’t invite distraction. It’s the Apple Watch.

The watch will pay for things, allow me to send/receive text messages, make phone calls, and read some notes. I can check email on it but the other weekly stuff kind of falls off of the table. Do I need to do those things while I’m riding my bike or at the library or at the grocery store? Nope. Does the phone beg for attention if I have it? Yeah. So ditch it.

I’ve moved to using the Apple Watch with some Bluetooth earbuds as my total phone replacement. I don’t have as much stuff to carry and it keeps me from mindlessly playing Balatro or scrolling nonsense. The only thing that I miss is the ability to take a picture and send it to someone, but that’s not a weekly use case when I’m out and about. The Kodak Charmera is doing a pretty good job as a camera for me when I’m riding and messing around. And it’s fun.

Less tech. Less engagement with online nonsense. Making the network and gadgets about doing what I need them to do rather than using them for entertainment or wasting time is the goal. It feels like a pretty significant step forward toward a world where the tech works for me and not the other way around.