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How did your relationship To your phone change?

cklemming 2y ago
Not the poster, but since getting a smartwatch with a cellular plan, I've found myself more often leaving my phone when out and about - especially with my kids. I'm still be able to make calls, text, listen to pods and music, pay for stuff, navigation etc. but without any of the distractions. The only essential thing I'm missing is a camera!
- tuumi 2y ago
  Are you able to connect to Carplay?
  - dcdevito 2y ago
    [dead]
  - steve_adams_86 2y ago
    I believe you still need your iPhone for that to work. That might have changed recently, but I don’t think so. Apple watches work fine over Bluetooth, though that leaves a lot to be desired if you’re accustomed to CarPlay.
steve_adams_86 2y ago
I stopped using it as much. I had some reports of using it for several hours per day, which as an adult with kids was sort of internally shameful and humiliating. Yet it kept happening despite efforts to prevent it. The watch did a few things. It made it so I didn’t feel like I needed my phone around since my urge to have it was communication with my family or work. So, with that handled I could relax and leave the phone at home. It also allowed me to see quite clearly how unnecessary my phone actually was. I rarely actually use my watch while out and about because the instances in which I imagined I’d need my phone were mostly false. The watch is useful, but maybe a few times per week rather than per day. Finally it demonstrated that the utility I imagined my phone had outside of necessity was a lot more limited than I thought. Apps and cameras are cool, but not using them is, too. I really don’t care that my phone is gone when it’s gone. So, I’ve gained up to hours per day of my life back and broke a terrible habit. I tried willing myself out of it but failed. Ultimately the watch was a great solution. The trick is actually putting the phone away, though. If you carry both you’ll just use the phone anyway.
- bilsbie 2y ago
  Thanks very interesting. My main concern would be filling all that newfound time.
  - steve_adams_86 2y ago
    I’m not kidding when I say I’ve filled it with great things. I’ve always wanted to dive deeper into robotics but “never had the time”. Well, a couple hours a day is a lot. I’ve made huge strides in learning and I’m actually building practical things with that recovered time. If someone told me this two years ago I’d think I knew better and they didn’t understand my situation or something. I didn’t realize this was happening until it occurred to me that I was finally learning and building all the stuff I’d intended to. I wondered what changed. Prior to this I’d built a hydroponics automation and monitoring system, and all said I think it took me ten years. I’m pretty sure I could have quartered that if I wasn’t glued to my phone so much.
    - bilsbie 2y ago
      Thanks for the details! That’s amazing.
blitzar 2y ago
In public I very rarely have my phone out of my pocket or bag. 75% of the notifications that would make me look at my phone, I get on my watch. I also never miss a notification when my phone is not in my hand/pocket and as such have reduced the notifications significantly. I no longer get Phantom vibration syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_vibration_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_vibration_syndrome. I also can tell the time without taking out my phone.
- steve_adams_86 2y ago
  Ha, now that you mention it, my phantom vibrations are gone as well. Like you I ended up culling a lot of notifications. I also added focuses which only allow certain people to call or apps to notify me throughout different parts of the day. It’s really nice to pare this stuff down on top of obviating the phone’s ability to deepen distraction if you happen to be notified.

Not the poster, but since getting a smartwatch with a cellular plan, I've found myself more often leaving my phone when out and about - especially with my kids. I'm still be able to make calls, text, listen to pods and music, pay for stuff, navigation etc. but without any of the distractions. The only essential thing I'm missing is a camera!

tuumi 2y ago
Are you able to connect to Carplay?
- dcdevito 2y ago
  [dead]
- steve_adams_86 2y ago
  I believe you still need your iPhone for that to work. That might have changed recently, but I don’t think so. Apple watches work fine over Bluetooth, though that leaves a lot to be desired if you’re accustomed to CarPlay.

steve_adams_86 2y ago

I stopped using it as much. I had some reports of using it for several hours per day, which as an adult with kids was sort of internally shameful and humiliating. Yet it kept happening despite efforts to prevent it. The watch did a few things. It made it so I didn’t feel like I needed my phone around since my urge to have it was communication with my family or work. So, with that handled I could relax and leave the phone at home. It also allowed me to see quite clearly how unnecessary my phone actually was. I rarely actually use my watch while out and about because the instances in which I imagined I’d need my phone were mostly false. The watch is useful, but maybe a few times per week rather than per day. Finally it demonstrated that the utility I imagined my phone had outside of necessity was a lot more limited than I thought. Apps and cameras are cool, but not using them is, too. I really don’t care that my phone is gone when it’s gone. So, I’ve gained up to hours per day of my life back and broke a terrible habit. I tried willing myself out of it but failed. Ultimately the watch was a great solution. The trick is actually putting the phone away, though. If you carry both you’ll just use the phone anyway.

bilsbie 2y ago
Thanks very interesting. My main concern would be filling all that newfound time.
- steve_adams_86 2y ago
  I’m not kidding when I say I’ve filled it with great things. I’ve always wanted to dive deeper into robotics but “never had the time”. Well, a couple hours a day is a lot. I’ve made huge strides in learning and I’m actually building practical things with that recovered time. If someone told me this two years ago I’d think I knew better and they didn’t understand my situation or something. I didn’t realize this was happening until it occurred to me that I was finally learning and building all the stuff I’d intended to. I wondered what changed. Prior to this I’d built a hydroponics automation and monitoring system, and all said I think it took me ten years. I’m pretty sure I could have quartered that if I wasn’t glued to my phone so much.
  - bilsbie 2y ago
    Thanks for the details! That’s amazing.

blitzar 2y ago

In public I very rarely have my phone out of my pocket or bag. 75% of the notifications that would make me look at my phone, I get on my watch. I also never miss a notification when my phone is not in my hand/pocket and as such have reduced the notifications significantly. I no longer get Phantom vibration syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_vibration_syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_vibration_syndrome. I also can tell the time without taking out my phone.

steve_adams_86 2y ago
Ha, now that you mention it, my phantom vibrations are gone as well. Like you I ended up culling a lot of notifications. I also added focuses which only allow certain people to call or apps to notify me throughout different parts of the day. It’s really nice to pare this stuff down on top of obviating the phone’s ability to deepen distraction if you happen to be notified.