Jose started his YouTube channel about five or six years ago, talking about digital minimalism and dumb phones. His motivation was personal. After graduating from university in 2018 and starting his first job in 2019 working with nonprofits, community centers, churches, and schools, he found himself spending somewhere around nine to ten hours a day on his phone alone. When you added in work on the computer, the total was closer to twelve or thirteen hours of screen time every day. Those were, as he put it, his darkest times.

He decided that was not how he wanted to live. He started looking for alternatives, came across the Light Phone, tried it, liked it, and stuck with it. Since then he has been making videos, writing, and building resources to help other people find their own path with technology.

From magic to extraction

Jose has an interesting way of framing the history of technology in our homes. When tech first arrived in households sometime in the 1980s, it felt magical. Think about the VCR - suddenly you did not have to stay up late to watch something. You could record it and watch it when it was convenient. Think about the first personal computers - people could compose documents at home and bring them to work. It gave them freedom. The early video games, the first consoles - everything felt like it was adding something to life.

Because those first technologies made our lives genuinely better, we were trained over time to assume that more technology always means a better life. And for a while that assumption held. But somewhere around 2014 or 2015, things shifted. Technologies stopped being primarily useful to us and started being extractive. Instead of giving us more time and agency, they started demanding more of our attention. The value proposition flipped. It was no longer about making your life easier - it was about keeping you watching longer so that advertisers could make more money from you.

I asked Jose whether this was done on purpose or whether it was just a natural evolution of design. His answer was unambiguous. Yes, it was on purpose. They saw that they could make more money by keeping people hooked to their screens than by providing great service. So they hooked people to the screen because it was easier to convince them.

Software, hardware, and the screen in between

Some people argue that the problem is purely about software - the algorithmic feeds, the attention-grabbing apps - and not about the hardware itself. Jose sees it differently. Software is the larger problem, yes. But hardware amplifies the software. It amplifies the good and it amplifies the bad. Looking at a soccer match on a tiny flip phone screen is not the same experience as watching it on a six-inch device. The bigger the screen, the more immersive the experience - for entertainment and for distraction alike.

Jose makes a sharp observation here. If hardware manufacturers were truly focused on giving us the best utility without distraction, every company would be using e-ink displays. That technology exists. It is excellent at delivering utility without pulling you into a rabbit hole. But companies do not use it because they want the software to do its thing - to keep you engaged, to keep you scrolling.

And this is where the interesting part of Jose’s personal journey begins. Like many people, he initially thought the problem was his physical phone. Switch to a flip phone, life gets better. Simple, right? Not exactly.

It is not the device, it is the lifestyle

Jose quickly realized that while switching devices helped, it did not fix everything. The real issue was internal. He enjoyed being connected, getting information, watching podcasts, reading articles, chatting with friends. In university, he never had this problem because his life was so full - cafeterias, classmates, professors, sports leagues, intellectual lectures. He had a rich offline life and never felt that the internet was giving him a better experience.

But once he left that university environment, he lost those built-in structures. He started creating new habits, and instead of going to cafes to talk to people or attending lectures, he started scrolling more. And more. And more. Until his lifestyle became internet-dependent.

This is Jose’s core insight, and I think it is an important one. Your environment usually dictates your lifestyle. The better your environment, the better your lifestyle. A dumb phone helps, but it is not going to fix the internal struggle. You need to develop other lifestyle choices that make the offline world more compelling than the online one.

The detox trap

I asked Jose about a common strategy - simply deleting problematic apps from your smartphone. His answer was nuanced. It can help, he says, but for most people it does not work long-term. The pattern he has seen over and over goes something like this: you delete the apps, you feel great for a few months, you start thinking you have the problem under control, and then you slowly reintroduce the apps. Before you know it, you are right back where you started.

He compares it to a detox. People quit coffee or sugar for a while, feel good about it, and then go back to old behaviors once the detox period is over. The same thing happens with smartphones. Without permanent changes to your environment, willpower alone is usually not enough.

Jose does point to more permanent solutions, even on smartphones. Tools like Apple Configurator 2 can lock down a device so that you can only use the apps you choose from the start - no installing new ones, no workarounds. This is what is called a mobile device management solution, and it removes the willpower battle entirely. But if you just dump down your smartphone without these environmental constraints, the odds are you will go back to installing everything again.

The dumb phone as a gateway

I shared my own experience here. I tried managing my smartphone, I tried the MDM apps, and I still found ways to work around the restrictions - installing a browser, finding loopholes. For me, the dumb phone was actually a gateway drug to a better lifestyle. Once I started using one, I simply could not do those workarounds anymore. The option was gone, and that was liberating.

Jose uses the Light Phone 3 as his personal device. No browser, no social media. He literally cannot do those things on it. And that, he says, is a better solution than artificially limiting a smartphone. When you cannot do something, you do not need a workaround.

But here is where the conversation got interesting. I said that life in 2026 is very difficult without a smartphone. Jose disagreed - respectfully, but firmly. He acknowledged that life without a smartphone is more inconvenient. Some things take longer, some things are harder, your employer might be more frustrated. He understands if someone does not want to switch because of the inconvenience. But what he disagrees with is the idea that you have no agency to change your situation.

You have more power than you think

Jose gave some great examples. Even in China, where super apps like WeChat handle payments, home access, and digital ID, you could argue that you need a smartphone. But does it have to be your primary device? His argument is that it does not. You can carry a smartphone for the things that absolutely require it and use a flip phone as your daily driver. You can buy a small tablet for QR codes and digital ID. You find halfway solutions.

In Scandinavia, people say you need a smartphone for bank ID. But Jose had a friend who went to Norway without one and just used cash. Is it less convenient? Sure. Is it impossible? Not at all.

He brought up France, where workers collectively fought for and won the right to not receive work emails after 5 PM. That did not happen by accident - people advocated for it. And Jose’s broader point is that we all have more power than we think. You can tell your employer that you are a good employee, show your performance, and ask not to be bothered after hours. Define what a real emergency is. Give them your phone number for true emergencies. If you are valuable and you deliver, people will accommodate you.

He even applied this to everyday situations. Go to a restaurant that only has QR code menus? Ask the owner for a recommendation. If they refuse, that tells you something about that business. You vote every day with the purchases you make and the services you use. The more you reward companies that demand technology dependence, the worse the situation will get.

Going analog

Once Jose recognized that he did not need the internet for everything, he started venturing into more offline activities. He joined a local cycling club, bought his first road bike, and now rides around town every two weeks with a group of people having real conversations. He joined a local safer streets organization and meets with them every Friday for coffee to talk about community needs and plan events.

He started reading physical newspapers and magazines instead of scrolling through Twitter. He goes to the library and reads the paper there. Sometimes he buys a copy of the weekend newspaper so he can read it slowly over a long period of time. He started cooking more from home, learning new recipes, trying to make bread - things he would never have had time for before. Or rather, things he never prioritized before.

His personal setup is the Light Phone 3 and an e-ink tablet for reading books. He buys physical books from time to time but usually borrows from the library and reads on his e-reader. He has also been tinkering with manual projects over the past five years, building things and learning new skills outside of the technology world. It has been, as he described it, a good journey.

Paper, planning, and the morning ritual

I asked Jose whether switching to a dumb phone and planning on paper could help someone who feels overwhelmed at work. His answer was practical and simple. A good reset in the beginning is important. Have a calendar, have a task list that you can reference at a quick glance.

What he started doing was looking at his screen in the morning, writing down on a small note card what he needed to do for the day - his tasks, his calendar appointments. Then he put the phone in his pocket and went about his day. When he needed to know what was next, he took out the piece of paper and looked at it. At the end of the day, that was it. Next morning, same thing. Log into the computer, look at the task list, write it down, and keep going.

Over time he developed a more refined system. But he emphasizes that in the beginning, creating that organization and that separation is especially important. It helps you learn - or relearn - how to function without constantly reaching for a smartphone.

Writing a book, one thousand words at a time

After about three years of creating content about digital minimalism, Jose had accumulated a lot of information in his head. He decided to write a book - a short, cohesive guide that people could read without having to watch every video or read everything he had written. His approach was beautifully simple. He wrote a thousand words a day.

The first ten days were difficult, he says, because you are getting used to putting things on paper. But after day seven or eight, a thousand words started feeling manageable. Some days he wrote much more - one day he hit seven thousand words in a state of flow. Other days it was a grind, and a thousand words was all he could manage. But once the habit was built, he just got on with it.

The book collected stories from people who made the dumb phone lifestyle work, stories from people who had to go back to technology but did so consciously, and personal experiences - including how he got into credit card debt by buying every new iPhone and Samsung that came out. Looking back, he admits he could have done better. But that kind of honest self-critique is healthy, and now he is thinking about a second book.

Financial freedom as the foundation

This was the most surprising part of our conversation. Jose believes that the first thing you need to do to become more independent from the online world is to fix your finances. I did not expect that. I would have guessed he would say environment or mindset. But his reasoning is compelling.

When you have financial freedom, you can choose the environment you want. When you are dependent on a specific job, you feel trapped. You cannot say no. But if you have a cushion - if you make a hundred thousand dollars but only spend fifty thousand - you have the ability to take risks. You can give yourself two years to try a different career. You can walk away from an employer who demands access to your phone around the clock.

Without financial independence, you are more likely to accept digital intrusions into your life simply because you need the paycheck. You will put up with things you would otherwise refuse. Financial freedom gives you the power to say no - not just to your employer, but to the broader societal push toward digital dependence.

Technology is amazing, but give it time

I asked Jose whether there are parts of life that are genuinely better with digital technology. Absolutely, he said. We were having our conversation across continents because of digital tools. People who advocate for digital minimalism are not saying they want zero technology. What they are saying is that they do not want technology to be extractive. They want technology to give them more of their life back, not take it away.

Jose draws the line at the shift in intent. In the 1980s, the microwave made reheating food faster and easier. The VCR let you watch your show without losing sleep. Technology was making life better. But now, technology is often making life harder because it is not focused on improving quality of life - it is focused on capturing attention.

His advice is simple and wise. When a new technology comes along, give it a year or two before you adopt it. We have been seduced by tech companies into thinking that if you do not adopt something today, you will be left behind. That is simply not true. Technology is amazing. Technology is great. Just give yourself some time before jumping in.

The best dumb phone is the one you stick with

I asked Jose the question every dumb phone curious person asks: what is the best dumb phone? His answer was perfect. The best dumb phone is the one that you stick with. It can be a dumbed-down smartphone, a Light Phone 3, a Sunbeam F1, a Xiaomi F21 - whatever matches your lifestyle.

But if he had to pick one right now, he would choose a simple flip phone. It is economical, basic, has no distractions, and is made for simplicity. If it breaks, it is easy to replace. Just go to the store, pick one up, and start. It does not have to be fancy or expensive. It just needs to do less.

Jose also mentioned traditional watches during our conversation. He has an old Bulova watch passed down from his grandfather - a device that tells the time and carries a story. No notifications, no charging every night. Compare that to a smartwatch that distracts you with every buzz. The best smartwatches, in his view, are the ones that last a long time without charging, like the new Pebble with its 30-day battery life. Simple interface, basic information, and then it gets out of your way.

Digital minimalism is not anti-technology

One thing Jose made very clear is that digital minimalism is not about being against technology. It is about being conscious about which technology you adopt and when. It is a rejection of mindless consumption, a rejection of always having to have the latest and greatest thing just because a tech company told you to buy it.

Is it a full rejection of consumerism? Probably not, since digital minimalists still buy devices and create solutions. But it is a beginning. It is the decision to say: just because something is available does not mean I have to say yes. I am going to wait, I am going to think, and if it actually makes my life better and the world better, then I will adopt it.

And Jose makes a great point about modeling this behavior for children. He remembers always asking his mom for the newest phone in the early 2000s, and his parents did not say no often enough. That mindset - new is always better - eventually got him into financial trouble. A healthier attitude is to use what you have until it does not work anymore. Be content with the things you already own instead of seeking happiness from the next shiny gadget.

Slow down and enjoy the ride

Jose closed our conversation with something that captured his entire philosophy. Instead of flying to see his parents - a four-hour trip - he decided to take the train. In America, that means a two-day journey. And he is doing it on purpose, because he wants to have more experiences in life and enjoy the slowness of things. He wants his life to be a little bit slower than just having the latest and fastest option available.

That is what digital minimalism is really about. It is not about going back to the stone age. It is about choosing, consciously and deliberately, what kind of life you want to live. It is about saying no to what takes from you and yes to what gives back. And it starts with small steps - a flip phone, a paper notebook, a newspaper instead of a feed, a train instead of a plane.

The tools are simple. The decision is yours.

Do Your Own Research

The topics covered in this conversation - screen time effects on mental health, the attention economy, the cognitive benefits of handwriting and analog tools, and the relationship between financial autonomy and wellbeing - are backed by a growing body of peer-reviewed research. Here are some key studies and papers grouped by topic.

Screen time, smartphone use, and mental health

* Ratan, Z.A. et al. (2021). “Smartphone Addiction and Associated Health Outcomes in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22), 12257. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212257

* Twenge, J.M. & Campbell, W.K. (2018). “Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study.” Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271-283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003

* Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K.T. & Pignatiello, A. (2020). “Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health.” CMAJ, 192(6), E136-E141. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.190434

* Allcott, H., Gentzkow, M. & Song, L. (2022). “Digital Addiction.” American Economic Review, 112(7), 2424-2463. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20210867

The attention economy and addictive design

* Bhargava, V.R. & Velasquez, M. (2021). “Ethics of the Attention Economy: The Problem of Social Media Addiction.” Business Ethics Quarterly, 31(3), 321-359. https://doi.org/10.1017/beq.2020.32

* Lupianez-Villanueva, F. et al. (2020). “The Struggle for Human Attention: Between the Abuse of Social Media and Digital Wellbeing.” Healthcare, 8(4), 497. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8040497

* Mujica, A.L. et al. (2022). “Addiction by Design.” Medical Research Archives, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v10i2.2677

Benefits of handwriting and analog tools

* Umejima, K. et al. (2021). “Paper Notebooks vs. Mobile Devices: Brain Activation Differences During Memory Retrieval.” Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 15, 634158. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.634158

* Van der Weel, F.R. & Van der Meer, A.L.H. (2024). “Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity.” Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1219945. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219945

* Marano, G. et al. (2025). “The Neuroscience Behind Writing: Handwriting vs. Typing - Who Wins the Battle?” Brain Sciences, 15(3), 285. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15030285

Financial autonomy and wellbeing

* Fischer, R. & Boer, D. (2011). “What is more important for national well-being: Money or autonomy? A meta-analysis of well-being, burnout, and anxiety across 63 societies.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(1), 164-184. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023663

* Ngamaba, K.H. et al. (2020). “How closely related are financial satisfaction and subjective well-being? Systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 85, 101522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2020.101522

What came out of the conversation surprised me. Not because the ideas were new, but because they made so much sense - and because science keeps confirming what a simple notebook already knew.

Here is what I learned.

Stop Switching Apps - You Are Not Doing Any Work

The first thing Carl told me was blunt. When you switch productivity apps, you are not doing any work. You are just moving stuff from one side of your desk to the other. It is the digital version of shuffling papers around and calling it progress.

Most people will never admit this, but the real reason they switch is because the new app looks prettier. Then they find a better excuse. “My current system feels overwhelming.” But here is the thing - it looks overwhelming because of what you put in there. It is not the tool. It is always what you are putting in it.

Unless something is actually broken, switching apps is one of the biggest time-wasting activities you can do. Carl has been with Todoist for twelve years. He knows every keyboard shortcut, every workaround, every little trick. That knowledge compounds over time. You do not get that by jumping ship every six months.

The Dopamine Trap of a Fresh Start

Switching apps feels good. That is the dopamine talking. You get a momentary sense of relief because you eliminate a lot of the mess from your old system when you transfer to the new one. But give it two or three weeks and it is just as overwhelming as before. Then you see a YouTube video about yet another new app, and the whole cycle starts again.

Carl put it beautifully. You are focusing on the tools instead of focusing on the craft. A carpenter who makes chairs and works of art is not constantly shopping for new hammers. Those guys have tools that are a hundred years old, handed down from their grandparents. It is not the tools that make you productive. It is you. It is the clarity of knowing what is important to you and to the work you are doing. The tools are often a distraction, especially if you are changing them all the time.

To prove this point, Carl regularly runs experiments where he switches to tools he does not normally use - Apple Reminders, Apple Notes, even a paper planner for a whole year. And every time, his system stays the same. The work gets done. The tools change, the output does not.

A Carpenter’s Hammer and the Franklin Planner

Carl’s preferred stack is simple. Todoist for tasks. Evernote for notes. Apple Calendar for scheduling. That is it. No fancy project management software. No complex integrations. When I asked him about project management, he said he uses Evernote as his project manager. He even wrote his book over three years using Scrivener for the writing and Evernote for all the surrounding notes, meetings, and checklists.

But the most interesting part of Carl’s system is not digital at all. It is the Franklin Planner he brought back into his life after first using one in 1992. What he loves about it is the layout - tasks on the left, calendar in the middle, notes on the right. When he writes out his appointments by hand, he can visually see how much time he realistically has to do actual work. If the page is full of meetings, he knows not to pile on tasks.

This is something digital tools are terrible at. You can schedule your day three times over and the app will still accept it. Paper has a built-in constraint. When the page is full, the day is full. That limitation is not a bug. It is a feature.

The Power of a Pocket Notebook

Carl carries a small pocket notebook everywhere. When he watches his favorite podcasts in the evening - Cal Newport, The Rest Is History - he keeps his little notebook next to him instead of a phone. Random thoughts, content ideas, project sparks - they all go in there. It is, by his own admission, a complete mess. But every Saturday during his weekly planning, he goes through the previous week’s notes and pulls out anything worth moving into his digital system.

The pocket notebook serves another purpose too. Carl’s wife is Korean and operates on Korean time, which means ten minutes late. Carl is from the UK, which means ten minutes early. So he often has a fifteen-to-twenty-minute window sitting in the car waiting. And instead of scrolling, he writes. He told me there is something about pen and paper that engages the brain better than any digital tool.

I started doing something similar years ago - copying the day’s events and tasks onto a paper pocket notepad. If I ran out of space on the page, it meant I would not have the time to do the task. The page was the day. Simple, visual, and honest.

Why Handwriting Makes You Smarter

There is real science behind all of this. Carl mentioned the University of Tokyo study, and he was right - there is now a mountain of research showing that handwriting engages the brain differently than typing. When you form letters by hand, you are essentially drawing. You are engaging the creative part of your brain.

When you type, it is repetitive tapping. Plus, your word processor starts flagging grammar and spelling mistakes, so you shift from creating to editing. That is the opposite of what you want when you are planning a new project or brainstorming ideas.

Carl’s approach to project planning is to grab a clean A4 sheet of paper, a couple of colored pens, and a highlighter. Day one is the big brain dump. Day two, he comes back with a different pen and starts connecting ideas. Day three, more refinement. Then he scans it into Evernote and starts building the digital version. But the initial creative thinking happens exclusively on paper. As he put it - if you want to be creative, pick up a pencil. Or a pen.

Leonardo’s Notebooks and Samuel Pepys’s Diary

Carl told me a wonderful story from Walter Isaacson’s Leonardo da Vinci biography. When Isaacson was working with Steve Jobs on his biography, Jobs promised to send over all his journals and notes from the NeXT years. Weeks went by, nothing came. When Isaacson followed up, Jobs admitted the problem - he had typed them into a computer, and even Apple’s best engineers could not open the files. The time gap was just ten years.

Meanwhile, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks - thousands of pages of sketches, ideas, and observations - are still perfectly readable five hundred years after his death. Paper does not need a software update.

Then there is Samuel Pepys, a low-level civil servant in seventeenth-century London who kept a journal for ten years. He wrote about ordinary life - what it was like to be a middle-class married man in London during the plague. We are incredibly lucky to have that journal, because normally history only records the kings and queens. Pepys gave us the real texture of life. If everything had been digital, there is a good chance we would have none of that.

Digital Impermanence Is Real

I shared a similar story with Carl about Steve Albini, the music producer who recorded Nirvana’s In Utero. When they prepared a commemorative edition of the album, they could not open some sessions that had been recorded on a digital medium. But the master tapes Albini had recorded on analog reel-to-reel machines were still perfectly fine. They did the mix from those tapes.

Analog will always be readable. You can always open a notebook and read the letters on the page. You can always play back a magnetic recording. Digital formats carry compatibility risks that can make your work unreadable within a single decade. This is not a theoretical concern. It has happened to Steve Jobs and to one of the most important rock albums ever made.

Carl hopes that in three or four hundred years, someone might find his journals and think - so that is what life was really like in Korea in 2025. It sounds humble, but it is actually a profound thought. Your life might feel ordinary to you. It will not feel ordinary to someone reading about it centuries from now.

Paper in a High-Tech Country

I asked Carl whether the popularity of paper journals is mostly a thing for people over forty. He surprised me with a story from South Korea, one of the most high-tech countries on the planet. His wife went back to university a few years ago to study physical therapy, alongside students straight out of high school. Carl asked her what percentage of students use digital tools versus paper notebooks. The answer was roughly sixty-forty - sixty percent digital, forty percent paper. Among the paper users, about seventy percent were women.

Near their home, there is a discount store with an entire floor dedicated to pencil cases, pens, notebooks, and folders. Carl told me he is always amazed at how many middle school and high school kids are in there buying stationery. Paper is not going away. If anything, there is a growing appreciation for the feel of pen on paper. As Carl said - plastic on glass does not work. Even with paper-like screen protectors, it is still tap-tap-tap. You do not get that wonderful sound of a pencil on paper. Or even a scratchy fountain pen with a very fine nib.

The numbers back this up. The global paper notebook market was valued at over 76 billion dollars in 2025 and continues to grow steadily year after year.

The Anti-Convenience Movement

Toward the end of our conversation, Carl said something that stuck with me. He wants to start an anti-convenience movement. All this technology is about convenience. And there are a lot of problems in the world today that are probably connected to our obsession with finding more and more convenient ways of doing things.

Take the rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes. A lot of it comes down to diet, and a lot of those diets are driven by convenience. It is hard to boil potatoes, roast a joint of meat, and prepare vegetables. It is much easier to order something online and have it at your door in thirty minutes. The attraction is obvious. But long term, it is not good for you.

Carl thinks we are at the same stage with convenience technology that we were with smoking in the 1950s. We know it is not great for us, but we tell ourselves it is not that bad. Gradually, over time, we will realize how much it costs us.

Peaceful Productivity

Carl’s favorite moment of the week is when he goes to the dining room with an A4 notebook, a couple of pens, a highlighter, and a cup of tea. For an hour or ninety minutes, there is no screen. Just planning, thinking, and creating. He described it in two words: peaceful productivity.

That phrase captures everything we talked about. The point is not to reject technology entirely. Carl uses digital tools every day. The point is to recognize that some things are better done slowly, by hand, with intention. Not because it is more efficient - but because it engages your brain in a way that screens cannot.

If you want to try it, start small. Get a little notebook, write the date at the top, and list the two or three things you absolutely must do today. Keep it on your desk where you can see it. And when you cross those tasks off with a pen at the end of the day - well, Carl says the dopamine hit is ten times better than any app notification.

Pick up a pen. You might be surprised at what it does for you.

Do Your Own Research

Here are peer-reviewed studies and resources on handwriting, cognition, and the topics discussed in this article, grouped by theme.

Handwriting, Memory, and Brain Activation

* Umejima, K. et al. (2021). “Paper Notebooks vs. Mobile Devices: Brain Activation Differences During Memory Retrieval.” Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 15, 634158. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.634158

* Mueller, P. A. & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). “The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking.” Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159-1168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581

* Van der Weel, F. R. & Van der Meer, A. L. H. (2023). “Handwriting but Not Typewriting Leads to Widespread Brain Connectivity: A High-Density EEG Study with Implications for the Classroom.” Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1219945. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219945

* Ihara, A. S. et al. (2021). “Advantage of Handwriting Over Typing on Learning Words: Evidence From an N400 Event-Related Potential Index.” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15, 679191. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.679191

Handwriting and Learning in Children

* Longcamp, M. et al. (2008). “Learning Through Hand- or Typewriting Influences Visual Recognition of New Graphic Shapes.” Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 20(5), 802-815. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn.2008.20504

* Marano, G. et al. (2025). “The Neuroscience Behind Writing: Handwriting vs. Typing.” Life, 15(3), 345. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15030345

Handwriting and Spelling in Schools

* Scientific Reports (2025). “Comparing the Effects of Typing and Handwriting on Spelling Performance in School.” Nature Scientific Reports. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-03369-x

Digital Impermanence and Preservation

* Library of Congress Digital Preservation resources:

https://www.digitalpreservation.gov

I don’t usually do phone reviews because there are better channels for that. But I do think I have something worthwhile to say about this particular kind of device. I have real experience with dumb phones. I was using the Punkt MP02 for a very long time. Half of my family uses a Punkt MP02. My daughter uses one right now. And the Punkt is a really dumb phone - classy, very well designed, but really dumb. It just does calling, texting, and a very basic calendar. That’s it.

So the Punkt is dumb and a smartphone is really too smart. The Minimal Phone sits right in between. And that’s where it gets interesting.

The E-Ink Screen is a Feature, Not a Bug

This phone has two things that make it excellent for this kind of device. First, it has an e-ink screen. Now, the e-ink panel is not the sharpest or crispest display you’ll ever see. It’s rather old school. And I don’t know the exact model, but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that because it’s old school, consuming media on this phone is really painful.

If you have something to compare it to - the Bigme Hibeak Pro I was using has such a crisp screen that you can actually watch YouTube videos on it or browse photos. It’s not completely impossible, just very uncomfortable. On the Minimal Phone, it’s an even poorer experience. And that’s actually the point.

If, like me, you want the possibility to download your preferred podcast app and listen to your favorite podcast, or maybe use the phone to listen to a YouTube lecture without looking at the screen - the Minimal Phone is excellent for that. And because it’s a normal Android smartphone under the hood, you can install whatever you want. I’m using Obsidian on my Minimal Phone and it’s really comfortable. I can search information inside my notes whenever I need to. So it’s a very good middle ground between a totally dumb phone and a full-fledged flagship smartphone.

The QWERTY Keyboard Changes Everything

There is a second element I love about this phone. It has a QWERTY hardware keyboard. Maybe it’s because I was a Blackberry user. But either way, I love hardware keys. I prefer hardware keys to an on-screen keyboard by far. And this phone has a really well-designed QWERTY keyboard.

What I did on my Minimal Phone is that I completely ditched the proprietary launcher that comes with the device and installed the old-school BlackBerry launcher instead. What this allows me to do is configure each key to perform a specific action. You can launch an app if you want, but that’s not my preferred use. My preferred use is speed dial. I put all my family members and most of my frequent contacts on speed dial. When the phone is unlocked and I press one of the hardware buttons, it makes the call. This is something I last used on the BlackBerry Key One, and it is very comfortable. Very cool.

So those are the two main excellent functions of this phone. I could add a third one - a 3.5 millimeter audio jack. Old school. And since I’m using excellent wired planar magnetic headphones, I love the fact that the jack is built right in. I don’t have to use USB-C to jack dongles, which I hate.

A Screen That Protects Your Eyes and Your Sleep

Lots of people criticize this screen as poor quality. I think that’s actually a big advantage. And there’s another thing that’s good about it - the screen has a non-flickering amber front light. On e-ink screens, it’s a front light, not a backlight. So it’s amber and non-flickering. Very good for the eyes. If you have to use it at night, you can set it to a very, very low intensity amber color so it does not disrupt your circadian rhythm.

I don’t really think the screen is so bad. It’s clearly not as sharp as the Bigme Hibreak Pro, of course. But hey, the whole purpose of this phone is to make you do everything you would normally do on a smartphone, but less comfortably and more slowly.

* I can use all my banking apps,

* I can use all my two-factor authentication apps,

* I can use Obsidian which I have installed.

But none of those experiences is so fluid, so magical that I want to spend time on the phone just for fun. I use it when I need to do something with it and I obviously can’t use a PC or a laptop for that.

But if I had my laptop right next to me, I would for sure prefer using my laptop instead, because the phone slows me down. And that is exactly the point.

What Your Kids See When They See You With Your Phone

One additional thing that is important for me - this phone does not look like a smartphone. If my kid sees me with this, my kid knows it’s a phone, not a smartphone. And that was precisely the reason I was also using the Punkt MP02 - because it looks like a phone and not a smartphone. In our family, it’s normalized that we use phones and not smartphones. This matters more than most people think.

Now, a few practical notes. There is a fair amount of ghosting on the screen. And I think that’s actually a positive. If you hate ghosting, there’s a dedicated refresh key on the side. Press it once and the ghosting is gone. Press and hold it and you get to some settings - there are three modes. The fastest mode with three triangles drops the resolution by half. There’s a mode with two triangles that uses the highest resolution for static images and automatically switches to the faster mode when something moves on the interface. But I don’t like that one because it makes the screen flicker a lot.

On the power button there’s a fingerprint reader, so you can unlock it with your finger. The battery life is very good for how I use it. I’m mostly just calling and texting, and I can go five days without recharging. The Punkt MP02 was closer to three days with some Bluetooth use - sometimes just two. So five days is a pretty solid improvement. I’m not really listening to music on this phone if I can avoid it - I take my dedicated audio player with me. I mostly use the headphone jack for longer phone calls, using my headphones as a headset.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

The Minimal Phone is not for everyone. But if you’re looking for a way to stay connected without being consumed by your device, if you want your kids to grow up seeing a phone in your hand and not a glowing rectangle that steals your attention, this is a genuinely smart choice. It lets you do what you need and nothing more.

Research and Further Reading

Here are peer-reviewed studies and reputable sources related to the topics covered in this article:

E-ink displays and eye health:

* Rogers, R. et al. (2023). Study on the effect of displays on human retinal cells. Journal of the Society for Information Display. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. DOI: 10.1002/jsid.1191

* Siegenthaler, E. et al. (2012). Reading on LCD vs e-Ink displays: Effects on fatigue and visual strain. PLoS ONE. PubMed

* Maducdoc, M. et al. (2017). Visual consequences of electronic reader use: a pilot study. International Journal of Ophthalmology. PMC

* Benedetto, S. et al. (2013). E-Readers and Visual Fatigue. PLoS ONE. PMC

Blue light and circadian rhythm disruption:

* Hatori, M. et al. (2017). Global rise of potential health hazards caused by blue light-induced circadian disruption in modern aging societies. NPJ Aging and Mechanisms of Disease. PubMed

* Tähkämö, L. et al. (2019). Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm. Chronobiology International. PubMed

* Haghani, M. et al. (2024). Blue Light and Digital Screens Revisited. Journal of Biomedical Physics and Engineering. PubMed

* Wahl, S. et al. (2019). The inner clock - Blue light sets the human rhythm. Journal of Biophotonics. PMC

* Ouyang, X. et al. (2020). Blue light disrupts the circadian rhythm and creates damage in skin cells. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. PubMed

* Harvard Health Publishing (2024). Blue light has a dark side. Harvard Health

Screen time, children, and parental modeling:

* Canadian Paediatric Society (2017). Screen time and young children: Promoting health and development in a digital world. Paediatrics & Child Health. PMC

* Merkaš, M. et al. (2025). Effects of Parents’ Smartphone Use on Children’s Emotions, Behavior, and Subjective Well-Being. Frontiers in Psychology. PMC

* Alrasheed, M. et al. (2025). Impact of Screen Time on Development of Children. Children. PMC

* Harvard Medical School (2024). Screen Time and the Brain. HMS

A quick public service announcement: some of you were subscribed to my Digital Pragmatism Substack. I have sent one email to all of you with some secret info about a new project that I will not announce here.

It’s a secret project.

If you were subscribed, you will know which project it is. Please check your spam folders, because today most email goes to spam. Reply to my email or act accordingly - there is a button you have to click.

Forget Goals, Set a Direction Instead

Since it’s the beginning of the year and people love to make plans and set goals, I wanted to ask you to not make plans. Don’t set goals. Actually, if you want to really set some goals, there’s a better thing to do: you can set a direction for your life.

Direction is enough. If you are fairly motivated and you know you have a connection with yourself - so you pretty much know what you hate and what you like - then direction is sufficient. You will make extreme progress. Whereas if you set goals, you can be disappointed in not reaching those goals, even if the direction would be right.

So I wanted to ask you not to make plans, but rather to choose one thing you will change. One thing you will do differently in 2026. This way you will have far more chances to actually reach this one thing you want to change. You are minimizing the chances of being disappointed.

Welcome to the Year of Analog Productivity

2026 will be the year of analog productivity, and this is what you will find here. I will tell you how I ditched my electronic devices and replaced them with paper notebooks and notepads. I will show you some of my favorite pens.

This will be the leitmotif for this channel throughout the year.

I will also post more interviews with people. I’ve got two of them which are being produced already. But I will also make more interviews and talk “analog” with interesting people.

So, welcome. Happy 2026.

Why “Use More Paper” Is the New Name

New year, new brand. But don’t worry, I will explain everything.

Two months ago I was explaining to you why Amenotes is the better brand. And then, closer to one week ago, I started examining all the domains I have purchased over time. And I saw that I have an excellent domain that I completely forgot about. This domain is usemorepaper.com.

Just how cool would it be to have a t-shirt with that!

And then I started analyzing whether Amenotes is not a better, more fancy word. And actually came to the conclusion that no - everything I’ve been doing on this channel was leading me to saying,

“Hey, use less your phone, use more paper.”

I get it, of course, that there are a lot of stationery content out there. And this one will not be a stationery website (or newsletter). You can treat it as a philosophy website, maybe a lifestyle blog?

I will not post reviews of notebooks. Well, I will post some of them, of course - those that I judge are excellent. But most of the time I will just share my ideas like I did until now.

What’s Coming Next

What is also very important is that with my wife we will actually in the future want to open a physical store that will sell notebooks - excellent quality Japanese notebooks and pens. And so it makes sense to rebrand as Use More Paper.

New year, new brand.

Amazon changed its policies related to Kindle books, and from February 26, 2025, you’re not able to download the books you’ve bought on the Kindle store. You’re only able to transfer them to a Kindle device, so if you use a Boox tablet or a Kobo tablet to sideload those books, well — you’re out of luck.

Of course, Amazon is doing this because the company wants to sell more Kindle devices, but you know what I mean. In the music realm:

* Spotify can do the same.

* Apple Music can do the same.

* Tidal can do the same.

You’re not the owner of your playlist.

The Illusion of Ownership

If I buy an MP3 album on the iTunes store, I own the MP3s. They are DRM-free, and I can use them anywhere I want - on my preferred digital audio player, for example. This is real ownership, not the illusion of it that streaming services provide.

The fact that Amazon is making this policy change so that after a certain date, no book - even if you spent the last 10 years collecting your Kindle books - can be downloaded ever again is plain and simple stupid.

It would be very bad, but it would be slightly better if they said, “Ok, for all the books purchased after February 26, 2025, you will not be able to download them,” whereas all the books you have bought in the last 10 years, you will still be able to download until the end of time. It would be a policy change with respect for the consumer - but of course, it would not push people to buy Kindle devices. So, screw the respect!

Amazon is not Customer-Centric

This kind of aggressive policy change will probably push some people that are more comfort-inclined to buy a Kindle for 100 dollars and forget the change. That’s exactly what Amazon wants - to lock you into their ecosystem.

I’ve seen this pattern repeat itself across digital media platforms. Companies start with consumer-friendly policies to build their user base, then gradually restrict options once they have enough market share. It’s a bait-and-switch tactic that punishes loyal customers.

Remember when you could easily transfer your purchased iTunes songs to any device? Or when Kindle books could be read on practically any e-reader? These freedoms are being systematically eliminated to force consumers into walled gardens where companies have complete control.

Curation and True Ownership

I’m a big believer in owning things, and I think that you don’t really need access to every book on earth and every music album on earth. It would be much better if you curate what you want to listen to, if you curate what you want to read, and then you own it.

There’s something deeply satisfying about building a personal library of books or music that you’ve thoughtfully selected. It reflects your tastes, your journey, your intellectual development. When you stream everything, you own nothing, and that collection can disappear at any moment.

Preferably, you own your media in such a way that you pay the artist or author the most. Because if not, those people will not make more music, they will not write additional books, they will just go to a corporation and get a job in order to pay bills.

Taking Control of Your Digital Life

The Amazon Kindle policy change should be a wake-up call for all of us. Remember: when you “buy” digital content through most platforms, you’re really just purchasing a conditional license that can be modified or revoked.

For books, consider purchasing DRM-free ebooks directly from publishers. For music, look into Bandcamp or buying MP3s that don’t have usage restrictions. Yes, it might be slightly less convenient than one-click streaming, but the peace of mind is worth it.

Physical media still has tremendous value too. A book on your shelf can’t be remotely deleted. A CD or vinyl record will play regardless of whether a company changes its terms of service. There’s resilience in tangibility that digital licenses simply don’t provide.

Supporting Creators Through Direct Ownership

When you purchase directly from creators or through platforms that give them a larger cut, you’re not just securing your own access - you’re helping sustain the creative ecosystem. Streaming services typically pay fractions of pennies per play, while direct purchases provide meaningful income.

Think about the future of creativity if we continue down this path of centralized control. When artists can’t make a living from their work, we all lose out on the books, music, and art that enrich our lives. Your purchasing decisions are votes for the kind of creative economy you want to see.

The bottom line is simple: if you value something, own it outright if possible. Don’t trust corporations to maintain your access to the content you’ve paid for. They’ve shown time and again that their priorities can shift, leaving consumers stranded without the media they thought they owned.

Why 14? According to the organization and psychologist Jonathan Haidt, waiting until the end of puberty is crucial for a child’s mental health. During puberty, children have a strong need to fit in and are constantly checking in with their peers. Introducing a smartphone during this time can lead to negative effects on their mental health, as they are exposed to powerful algorithms that can provide enraging or harmful content.

Even adults can struggle with the impact of smartphones and social media on their mental health. So, if it’s difficult for grown-ups, imagine how much harder it is for children going through puberty. This is why some experts, like Haidt, believe that waiting until the end of puberty is essential.

However, some people argue that even 14 might be too young. They suggest waiting until a child is 21 or even avoiding smartphones altogether. So, what are the benefits of giving your child a smartphone at 14 or 15? Honestly, it’s hard to say. Some may argue that it could help them become an Instagram influencer or provide useful apps for traveling, but these benefits can be achieved through other devices that are not as addictive as smartphones.

The idea behind “Wait Until 8th” is not only about delaying smartphone usage but also about creating a community of parents who support each other in this decision. By signing the online pledge and connecting with other parents from your child’s school, you can form a supportive network that ensures your child won’t be the only one without a smartphone.

Recent studies have shown that the earlier a child receives a smartphone, the worse their mental health may be later in life. This means that waiting as long as possible before giving your child a smartphone is indeed a wise decision.

As a parent, one of the best gifts you can give your child is good mental health. If their mental health is strong, they will be better equipped to handle conflicts, develop self-esteem, and navigate the ever-changing world.

In conclusion, the “Wait Until 8th” organization suggests waiting until your child is at least 14 before giving them a smartphone. However, some believe that waiting even longer or avoiding smartphones altogether is the best approach. Ultimately, the decision is up to you as a parent, but it’s essential to consider the potential impact on your child’s mental health and well-being.

Media-mix choice

Our family has made a conscious decision to avoid certain forms of media, such as TV, radio, and streaming services. We believe that these platforms are often vehicles for advertisements and news, which can be overwhelming and distracting. Instead, we prefer to make our own decisions about what to buy and what to pay attention to, based on our needs and analysis.

The rule of effort

We also employ a strategy called the “rule of effort,” which involves consuming media that requires a significant amount of effort from its creators. For example, we prefer to listen to audiobooks over podcasts, as the former requires more effort to write and record. Similarly, we choose movies over series, as they generally require more effort to produce and offer a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end.

A mindful experience

Our media consumption choices extend to the formats we use. For music, we prefer vinyl records and CDs, while for movies, we opt for DVDs. We find that these formats require more effort to enjoy, making the experience more intentional and meaningful. For example, listening to a vinyl record involves taking it out of its sleeve, placing it on the turntable, and carefully positioning the needle, all of which contribute to a more immersive and mindful experience.

What media do we consume?

When it comes to watching movies, we avoid streaming services and instead choose DVDs. This allows us to have control over our movie selection, without being influenced by algorithms or suggestions. We find that this approach leads to less time spent scrolling through options and more time enjoying the movies we truly want to watch.

Shaping the environment

Our environment plays a significant role in shaping our media consumption habits. By creating a space that encourages intentional media consumption, we can better focus on the quality of our experiences. For example, we use a projector to watch movies, providing a more immersive and theater-like experience.

Friction and coping mechanisms

We also avoid using media as a coping mechanism for life’s challenges. By creating friction in our media consumption process, such as the ritual of choosing and playing a DVD, we prevent ourselves from mindlessly turning to media for distraction or comfort.

A beginning and a clearly defined ending

Furthermore, our media consumption habits are designed to respect our time and avoid stealing it away. By choosing media with a clear beginning, middle, and end, we can better manage our time and avoid the trap of binge-watching or endless scrolling.

In conclusion, our family’s approach to media consumption is centered around intentionality, effort, and control. By making mindful choices about the platforms, formats, and content we consume, we can enhance the quality of our experiences and maintain a healthy relationship with media. We encourage you to consider your own media consumption habits and explore ways to make them more intentional and meaningful.

In today’s world, parenting has become a digital battlefield. We face the dilemma of whether to raise our children as digital minimalists or risk them becoming technologically backward. The truth is, it’s not about being afraid of technology; it’s about managing its influence on our kids’ lives.

We often see parents giving smartphones to their children, not out of necessity, but because it’s the default. It’s an easy way to keep them occupied while we handle our own tasks. But this unintentional decision can lead to long-term consequences, including technology addiction and social isolation.

A Shift in Norms

Imagine a future where giving a smartphone to a child is as frowned upon as giving them alcohol. As awareness grows about the negative impacts of unrestricted technology access, we believe there will be a significant shift in societal norms. Just as laws regulate alcohol and tobacco for minors, we foresee similar regulations for smartphone usage among children.

Parents will soon realize that the constant flow of notifications and the addictive nature of apps are designed to exploit our attention. This realization will drive a movement towards more mindful and intentional use of technology in parenting.

Intentional Technology Use

Being a digital minimalist doesn’t mean rejecting technology altogether. It means using it intentionally, as a tool to enhance learning and creativity, rather than as a default babysitter. For example, showing children how to use a desktop computer for research or creative projects can be beneficial, unlike giving them a smartphone loaded with addictive apps.

We can draw parallels with how technology has evolved in other fields. When Prince recorded his first album, he didn’t have the luxury of an iPad with multi-track recording capabilities. He had to navigate through gatekeepers and studios. Today, technology has democratized music production, but it requires intentional use to harness its full potential.

The Dangers of Unrestricted Access

Smartphones, unlike dedicated tools, come with a plethora of distractions. They are designed to keep users engaged, often at the cost of productivity and mental health. This is why it’s crucial to set boundaries and teach children the importance of using technology as a tool, not as a crutch.

Gaming, for instance, is often touted as a gateway to tech careers. However, it can also be an entry point to addiction. While it may foster some technical skills, it often limits real-world social interactions and practical knowledge. Encouraging children to balance online activities with offline experiences is key.

Building Real-World Skills

We must emphasize the importance of real-world interactions and skills. Children learn best through hands-on experiences and face-to-face communication. By limiting screen time and encouraging outdoor play, we help them develop essential life skills that technology alone cannot provide.

It’s about creating an environment where children can thrive without being tethered to screens. This means providing them with opportunities to explore, create, and interact with the world around them. It also means being role models in our own use of technology.

Setting Boundaries

As parents, it’s our responsibility to set rules and boundaries around technology use. This might mean no screens before school or limiting gaming to certain hours. By establishing these guidelines, we help our children develop a healthy relationship with technology.

We also need to be aware of the subtle ways technology can infiltrate our lives. Notifications, for example, are designed to grab our attention and keep us coming back. By turning off unnecessary notifications and being mindful of our own screen time, we can set a positive example for our children.

The Role of Single-Use Devices

One effective strategy is to use single-use devices. For instance, giving a child a dedicated camera instead of a smartphone can foster creativity without the distractions of social media and games. This approach helps children focus on the task at hand and develop specific skills.

Our daughter’s experience with a manual camera is a perfect example. Without the option to take selfies, she focuses on capturing meaningful moments and developing her photography skills. This contrasts sharply with peers who use smartphones primarily for social validation.

The Community Factor

The type of community our children are part of also plays a crucial role. By not giving them smartphones, we steer them towards peers who engage in more offline activities. This can lead to richer, more meaningful social interactions and a stronger sense of community.

It’s about shaping the environment to support our parenting goals. If we want our children to value real-world experiences, we need to surround them with like-minded individuals and provide opportunities for offline engagement.

The Future of Digital Minimalism

Looking ahead, we believe that digital minimalism will become a mainstream parenting approach. As awareness of the negative impacts of technology grows, more parents will adopt intentional tech use. This shift will not only benefit our children but also society as a whole.

We must remember that technology is a tool, not a master. By using it wisely and teaching our children to do the same, we can harness its benefits without falling prey to its pitfalls. It’s about finding a balance that promotes healthy development and real-world skills.

Conclusion

In conclusion, raising children as digital minimalists doesn’t mean depriving them of technology. It means using technology intentionally and mindfully, ensuring it serves a purpose rather than becoming a default distraction. By setting boundaries, encouraging real-world interactions, and being role models in our own tech use, we can help our children develop a healthy relationship with technology.

Thank you for joining us on this journey towards more mindful parenting. Let’s work together to create a future where technology enhances our lives without controlling them.

Recent studies have linked depression and poor mental health among teenagers to smartphone use, particularly iPhones and social media platforms like Instagram. This app, which encourages users to showcase their lives and compare themselves to others, can be especially damaging to girls' self-esteem and body image. By not giving our daughters smartphones, we hope to avoid these issues and direct them towards healthier peer groups and interests.

Peer group?

We recognize that our decision may lead to challenges, such as explaining to our children why they do not have smartphones when many of their peers do. However, we believe that there are multiple peer groups available, and by not providing our children with smartphones, we are guiding them towards a group that shares their values and interests. Just as we had the choice to avoid drugs, alcohol, or certain types of passtimes in our youth, our children can also choose their peer groups based on their preferences and values.

For those who may already be dealing with smartphone addiction in their children, it’s essential to remember that it’s never too late to address the issue. We suggest talking to your child about how smartphones are designed to grab their attention and asking them how they feel after using social media or other apps. Watch documentaries like “The Social Dilemma” together and discuss the content, helping them understand the potential consequences of their actions.

In cases of severe addiction, seeking professional help may be necessary. However, we believe that by setting a positive example in our own technology use and engaging our children in physical activities and real-world experiences, we can help them develop a healthier relationship with technology.

More offline activities

As our daughters grow older, we plan to involve them in activities such as Scouts and volunteer work to encourage them to spend more time outside of the virtual world. This approach is supported by experts like Cal Newport, who recommend engaging in more physical, real-world activities to help detox from technology and determine which aspects of technology are genuinely beneficial to our lives.

We also believe it’s essential to engage with other parents and our local community to discuss these issues and share our experiences. While it may be challenging to convince others to make significant changes in their lives, we can at least try to raise awareness and encourage more face-to-face interaction among families.

It’s up to you - consider yourself warned

Ultimately, the decision to give a child a smartphone or not lies with each family. However, we hope that by sharing our thoughts and experiences, we can spark interest and encourage others to consider the potential consequences of smartphone use among teenagers.

In conclusion, we believe that addressing phone addiction among teenagers is a vital issue that requires attention on both individual and collective levels. By making informed decisions as parents and engaging with our communities, we can work together to create a healthier, more connected society for our children and future generations.

Links:

* Stephanie Gruner Buckley, “My daughter was a creative genius, and then we bought her an iPhone” — https://medium.com/modern-parent/my-daughter-was-a-creative-genius-then-we-bought-her-an-iphone-bf617c0b6ca0

* Center for Human Technology, “The Social Dillemma” — https://www.humanetech.com/the-social-dilemma

* Cal Newport “Digital Minimalism” — https://www.calnewport.com/books/digital-minimalism/

Our experiment began when we decided to switch from smartphones to dumb phones, inspired by the Punkt MP01 design, reminiscent of the old Nokia phones we used as students. At first, the transition was uncomfortable and painful, as we had grown accustomed to the convenience and features of our smartphones. However, we soon learned that living without a smartphone was, in fact, much easier than we anticipated.

One of us, a busy mother of two, recognized the symptoms of smartphone addiction in her life, such as sleep deprivation and constant distraction from notifications. The switch to a dumb phone forced her out of her comfort zone and made her more aware of her dependence on technology. Despite the initial anger and frustration, she eventually found a middle ground with the Unihertz Titan Pocket, which provided some useful features without the addictive properties of a smartphone.

More talking, less texting

We discovered that using a dumb phone made us appreciate talking to people more, as the phone didn’t allow for easy texting. We found that we would hide behind technology if given the chance, and the dumb phone helped us expand our social capabilities.

We both tried going back to smartphones at different points, only to find ourselves slipping back into old habits and addiction patterns. This realization led us to believe that short technological detoxes are not enough to break the cycle of addiction. Instead, using a dumb phone for an extended period can help identify the root causes of our discomfort and dependence on technology.

Balance and privacy

Through this experience, we learned that we could find a balance between the need for certain smartphone features and the desire to live a simpler, less addictive lifestyle. For example, one of us found that a minimalistic Android-based phone, like the Unihertz Titan Pocket, was the perfect middle ground.

While we understand that the privacy concerns regarding data collection by Android and other smartphone operating systems are important, our focus in this experiment was primarily on breaking free from the addictive nature of smartphones.

In conclusion, our journey with dumb phones has been an eye-opening experience that has taught us valuable lessons about our relationship with technology. We’ve learned that it is possible to find a balance between convenience and simplicity, and that breaking free from smartphone addiction requires more than just a temporary detox. As we continue to explore unconventional choices and anti-cultural lifestyles, we hope to inspire others to question their dependence on technology and seek a more fulfilling way of life.

Let’s talk about music today.

After trying Tidal, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, I went back recently to purchasing MP3 files from Apple - from iTunes, because I want to own the music I listen to.

It’s because I really don’t like the concept of streaming. I don’t like the fact that you pay a certain amount of money monthly to have access to everything. It’s not beneficial for me as a listener because I’m overwhelmed with the number of tracks I have access to. It means also that I don’t value those track because this mass of music is so cheap.

I like the fact of possessing the music, of having it on my hard drive, inside my computer, on my storage. Ideally I prefer owning the music on vinyl, but vinyl is not portable at all. So the albums I buy on vinyl, I buy them twice: once on vinyl and the second time as MP3s from iTunes.

You have the money

I think it’s okay because first of all, it’s not a cost that is prohibitive in 2022. I don’t have to buy lots of albums a month, so my home budget is not suffering. It gives me the opportunity to listening mobile of course, but it’s all also giving me the opportunity to listening in a better sound quality than I would normally do on Spotify, because I can choose from which player I will play the songs. I don’t have to have it on Android on iOS, I can have it on an obscure audiophile MP3 player. I can just copy the files from my hard drive and it’s done. It works offline. And I also know that by buying the album twice, I’m actually helping the musician because musicians are really screwed by streaming platforms like Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, etc. You have to generate 3 million streams per month to have a few hundreds of dollars of revenue. It’s crazy.

Business model

I’ve been a musician, so I know how it works. It basically costs you nothing to put an album on Spotify. And then because everybody’s paying for the whole catalog, you basically get nothing in return, since the discoverability becomes a huge problem, not the barriers in putting the music on the platform. So you work two years to compose and record the music and then you get a few streams and everybody says: “Yeah, don’t expect money for releasing music, play live and sell some merchandise.” But I think that musicians should be paid for the music and not for selling merch. They are musicians, not apparel companies, after all.

I think Pink Floyd would not record “The Wall“ if they were forced to tour 200 days per year and sell t-shirts in order to sustain themselves financially. They would not have the time nor the mental bandwidth to compose the masterpiece. This is what’s happening today in music. Basically, the music that is available online it’s usually not arranged in albums, but it’s single tracks and it’s released every two to three months because if not, people lose interest and forget about the artist.

Making music today is like making videos on Tiktok or YouTube - you have to keep publishing. If not, the channel won’t grow.

So I’m very proud of myself that I am buying each album twice: once on vinyl and a second time as MP3 files from iTunes, because I know that at least the musicians that have worked very hard to create the music I enjoy are given a much larger “cut” from those transactions.

Discoverability

And one last word about discoverability: people often get trapped into thinking that Spotify gets them new listeners.

No, it does not.

The sheer amount of new music added every minute to Spotify makes it actually VERY HARD to get organically discovered on Spotify. YouTube is very good at that. Use YouTube for discoverability, and then put your MP3s on Bandcamp, maybe on iTunes - but specifically on a platform that allows the music to be bought by your fans directly and own the files. Not to be streamed. It will give you much more opportunities to gain new listeners than Spotify by word of mouth and by people supporting people, looking for what other listeners listen to and checking the bands other people support.

Like in the old, cassette days.

One of the worst parts about owning a smartphone is the email function. If you have your work email synced to your phone, it’s like you are never actually leaving work. You feel the pressure you feel at work 24/7. Sometimes, you might find yourself answering work emails in the middle of the night because you couldn’t sleep.

This sets an unhealthy precedent that our employers should be able to reach us at all hours, even when the issue at hand could wait until the next workday. You’re not getting paid for these hours, so why carry the stress of the job?

The dangers of smartphones are well known by anyone who’s used a smartphone, or anyone who’s tried to spend time with people with smartphones (especially younger people who’ve grown up with these devices). According to helpguide.org, there is a growing issue of smartphone addiction, similar to other addictive activities like gambling. There are a number of distressing and alarming ways that smartphones can negatively impact our lives:

* Increased loneliness and depression;

* Fuelling Anxiety;

* Exacerbate Attention Issues;

* Disturbing your sleep; and

* Encouraging Self-absorption.

Another issue with smartphones is that they can diminish our ability to think creatively. According to this Time article, boredom can lead us to our most creative ideas. You’ve likely experienced this before, where you are doing a menial task, or doing nothing at all, and you have your deepest, most creative ideas. By allowing our brains to rest and just exist, we are better able to think deeply and creatively. Smartphones make this kind of deep thinking time hard to come by, as when we get bored, we often pick up the phone and start scrolling through Twitter or checking emails. Without this distraction, you’ll have more time for deep and creative thinking.

How has getting rid of my smartphone affected my life?

When I initially sold my smartphone and bought a Punkt phone, there was a lot of anxiety initially. I worried that my work and social lives might be hurt or diminished by the lack of a smartphone. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to advance at work because I wouldn’t be able to respond to emails 24/7. I worried that I would miss out on social activities by not having as many ways for friends to contact me. But now six months out, I can say confidently that I had nothing to worry about, and that my life has definitely improved.

As far as work goes, I now feel as though I have true work-life balance. I do my work during my workday, and I respond to emails during my workday, and this has not made me any less productive. In fact, I would argue that without the distraction of social media apps, my productivity at work has actually improved. Researchers have been studying whether smartphones aid or diminish productivity, and some are finding that smartphones become obstacles to deep thinking or reach a “flow” state. This same researcher found that, on average, people checked their phone every 18 minutes, which adds up over the course of the day, and additionally noted that those with higher smartphone usage tended to have more negative social lives.

I’ve also seen a marked improvement in my social and family life since selling my smartphone. Without the constant need to check my phone, I have more time to spend with my family. I also feel like I have become a better role model for my children, as they see me not being distracted by technology like other adults in their lives. There’s actually a term for parents who use their smartphones when they could be spending quality time with their kids: distracted parenting. If parents spend their time on their phones, instead of with their children, these relationships will be much weaker. This could also affect the development of our children, as they absorb communication skills from us, and if the only communication they see is us typing on our phones, this might be the only communication they come to understand.

Another way I think I’ve become a better parent as a result of not having a smartphone is that I don’t model negative social media behaviour. Many children now see their parents posing for hours for Instagram pictures, or sharing just the best parts of their lives on social media, and again, children learn by observing, and will mimic these behaviours later (but not that much later) in life. Instead, show your children the things that you are passionate about in life, and spark their own curiosity and drive to find their passions.

Similarly, I’ve found that since ditching the smartphone, I no longer compare myself to others constantly. It’s natural for us to compare ourselves to others, especially for those of us who are competitive. But when we see other people on social media, we are only seeing the best parts of people’s lives. We don’t see the thousands of hours that went into working for the beautiful house, we just see the gorgeous (staged) photos of the house. We also don’t know what someone’s upbringing or background was like. Maybe that person grew up rich, which is why they’re 21 and can afford that sports car. Another important point is that social media is global, and life can be extremely different in different parts of the world. For all of these reasons, the constant comparison can only be detrimental to our happiness. Instead of trying to chase what others have, consider what YOU actually want in life, and go after it. This will make you so much happier than chasing the dreams of others. A number of studies have examined the correlation between social media and mental health, and while correlation doesn’t equal causation, there is definitely some sort of link between the two.

Another positive to getting rid of my smartphone has been that I’ve been calling people to communicate instead of communicating via SMS or email. Though not as good as talking face-to-face, I’ve found that having conversations with someone is so much better than communicating by writing. So much of how we communicate cannot be captured in text. Verbal cues and sarcasm can’t be articulated as easily in text versus verbal communication. I’ve found so much more enjoyment in life by actually picking up the phone and calling a friend I haven’t seen in a while instead of sending them Facebook messages, and by improving my social circle. I’m improving my life.

Getting Started

So maybe I’ve sold you on getting rid of the smartphone and living the tenets of digital minimalism. But before you dive in headfirst, let’s check the water depth. Extremism is never sustainable. If you throw your smartphone out the window and vow to disassociate from all technological-based communication, either your life will take a major hit, and/or, you will be buying a new smartphone a month from now. So how do we transition to a life of greater fulfilment, and less reliance on technology?

For starters, you can use technology sparingly, and with intentionality, something I’ve spoken about in past vlogs and blogs. Make a list of all your applications and devices, and only keep the ones which ADD value to your life. A calendar app might actually add value to your life. On the other hand, an app like Instagram is most likely not going to add anything to your life (unless of course you run your business on that platform). If you’ve already pared down your apps, and you feel like you’re ready to ditch the smartphone entirely, getting a punkt device might be a realistic alternative as these devices allow you to make phone calls and hotspot a laptop for checking emails during work hours.

One thing to remember is that the whole point of digital minimalism is to add value to your life. There’s no trophy for being the most stoic person and using zero technology. We want to make our tech use efficient and minimal, so that we have time for the things we love, be it family, hobbies, friends, etc.

Go make your list of technology, evaluate your technology uses, and go from there. And remember this (like life) is a process, and there may be bumps along the way, but as long as you are putting in effort, and being mindful, you can always improve your happiness.

But I digress.

How to have a good, respectful conversation online?

If you would like to improve the quality of your discussions online, first of all, don’t start the comment by saying that:

* the video author is wrong, or that

* you don’t agree.

It’s because the people who make those videos have put a lot of time and effort in producing those videos and they really don’t care whether you agree or not. But they are open to have a conversation. If you start by stating that you don’t agree, you close the possibility for the conversation, because you already came to the conclusion that you don’t agree. It’s over.

If you want to discuss a part of the video, start by:

* stating your point of view (for example, if the video author says “I think donuts are a great cure for depression”, you can start by saying “I was depressed 3 years ago and tried donuts. It didn’t work for me.”

* saying what you would like to discuss and then tell it - and if possible, use your personal experience (the “I tried the donuts” in the bullet above - and add what worked for you), because if it’s something you feel or that (worse) you read online on someone else’s website and adopted as your point of view, it will not enrich the conversation.

Like in real life

Be respectful. Act as you would be acting in real life. I know it’s hard, since the anonymity that the internet gives you is so tempting. If someone asks you a question, don’t ignore the question - answer the question. If someone asks you the question three times, don’t ignore him, because in real life you would not ignore someone asking you three times the same question, wouldn’t you?

Ask questions

If you really want to know someone else’s point of view, to benefit from the takeaways that offers someone else’s experience - just ask questions. That’s it. You don’t have to judge the person that recorded the video or wrote the blogpost. You don’t have to say that you’re better than them. It’s irrelevant. If you start like that, no one will actually want to discuss anything with you, neither the author nor other commenters, because you will appear as a deficient person as far as your self worth is concerned.

Whereas, if you ask an intelligent question, it will be and reaching for everybody and a lot of people will engage with you.

Personal experience matters

If you have some kind of a personal experience with the people who recorded the video or posted the blogpost, don’t think that this personal experience will not have any incidence on how the discussion will go, because it will have consequences. So, let’s imagine that you met the person that posted the video several times in real life and each time:

* you were an a*****e,

* you were not supportive,

* you were passively aggressive,

* you were manipulative,

don’t expect to be treated very well online. You will be treated as if the discussion online was a consequence of what happened in real life. That’s how people work.

Give negative feedback in private

If you want to make a negative comment and you really want to help the people who worked hard to post a video, publish a blogpost or publish a book - contact them directly.

Write a direct email with the negative comment or with your salty suggestion. There’s a million ways you can contact directly a person today on the internet - there’s email, you can find people’s phone numbers online, there’s direct messages. A lot of creators publish their email addresses - use them. A personal message is far better than criticising someone in public because that way you show that you actually want to help, that you actually want to discuss something.

In the corporate world, there’s a rule that very few managers know, but it’s a very good rule. This rule says:

Give positive feedback in public, but give negative feedback in the privacy of your office.

It’s because people in general will be inclined to remember the negative feedback and to remember the social cues around this negative feedback. If you give negative feedback in public, you will actually perform straightforward aggression on the person to whom you give this negative feedback. You will just show everybody else that you have a deficiency in your self worth, that you lack confidence and that you need to cope with this deficiency by giving negative feedback in public and humiliating the person in question. If you do that, you will not have friends and you will certainly not advance your career.

It’s exactly the same online. If you want to help the creator - write a personal email, call the creator. If instead you choose to make a public comment about it, you will rather show that you wanted to help yourself by judging someone in public.

Freedom

I can already hear some of you screaming about freedom of speech.

You don’t have to show people in public that you don’t agree with them. It’s not a sign of freedom. It’s a sign of your deficiency. You have the freedom because you can write a negative comment in public. Nobody took away this possibility from you. But the fact that you can does not mean you should.

Positivity

If you want to be helpful and have good discussions, please try to remember those rules. It doesn’t mean that you always have to be positive about everything. But remember that being a creator is hard, so if you can, and especially if you know the people that create content online and if you want to show support, say nice things in public about what they create. They will be grateful and they will for sure be thankful that you did. If you have improvement ideas - say them in private.

Now enter the mind-blowing part: you can do both at the same time! You can like and comment positively a video that your friend recorded and simultaneously write a personal email saying that he should improve his storytelling skills. Isn’t it amazing? And don’t forget to tell him also how he can do it (that’s the hard part)!

My garden

I sometimes react in a rough and rude way if someone makes a negative comment in public about something I created, because I understand the mechanism I described above and I want to keep people from doing that. It’s on purpose and it’s exactly how I want to react.

It’s not by error.

I don’t want to have a negativity feast in the comment section on my YouTube channel. I have seven years of YouTube experience on my Polish channel, where commenters ranged from passively aggressive to full-fledged actively aggressive. There were people who wrote to me in the comments that they will find me and kill me. I thought that I had to endure that because it’s how the world online is. That it’s a price I have to pay for having my YouTube channel.

Today, I don’t think like that anymore. The fact that I tolerated aggressive people on my Polish YouTube channel brought nothing positive to my life nor to the life of other people watching my content. Today I know it.

I don’t have to pay a price for having a YouTube channel and I certainly don’t think that I should endure this kind of comments. Today, I think of my comment section as of my garden. I am deciding what I want to keep in my garden.

If I don’t want to have bad plants in my garden, I can take them out of the ground.

Rediscovering Paper

For years, we’ve been told that digital is the way to go. Apps like Notion, Obsidian, and various project management tools promise to streamline our lives. But after decades of experimentation, many of us are realizing that nothing beats the simplicity of paper. Paper is always ready, universally accessible, and devoid of distractions.

When we write on paper, we take the first step towards making our thoughts tangible. This act of writing helps us feel more committed to our plans. Unlike digital tools, paper doesn’t tempt us with endless customization or the allure of procrastination. It’s just us, our thoughts, and the pen.

The Advantages of Paper

One of the biggest advantages of paper is its readiness. There’s no need to wait for an app to load or worry about battery life. A paper notebook is always there, ready to capture our thoughts and plans. This immediacy can be a game-changer for productivity.

Another key benefit is the lack of distractions. Digital devices are designed to grab our attention with notifications, blinking lights, and endless apps. In contrast, a paper notebook is a blank canvas, free from any interruptions. This allows us to focus deeply and think more clearly.

The Tactile Experience

Writing on paper also provides a tactile experience that digital devices can’t replicate. The feel of a good quality pen on high-quality paper can be incredibly satisfying. This physical interaction helps us connect more deeply with our thoughts and ideas.

I certainly love writing with my Kaweco brass pen in my Midori A6 notebook. This combo works very well together.

Moreover, the act of writing by hand engages different parts of our brain compared to typing. This can lead to better retention and understanding of the information we’re working with. It’s a small but significant advantage that can make a big difference in our productivity.

Reflecting and Structuring

Paper is also excellent for reflection and structuring our thoughts. When we write things down, we create a physical record that we can revisit and review. Very easily review, should I add - you don’t have to find the option to visualize completed tasks or otherwise find your past notes, you just flip pages. This makes it easier to see the big picture and track our progress over time.

Unlike digital tools, which can be overwhelming with their endless features and options, paper is simple and straightforward. This simplicity forces us to be more deliberate and thoughtful about what we write. It encourages clarity and focus, which are essential for effective planning.

The Role of Quality

The quality of the paper and pen we use can also influence our productivity. Investing in high-quality materials can make the act of writing more enjoyable and satisfying. It can also encourage us to be more careful and intentional with our notes.

Mistakes on paper are more permanent than in digital tools, where we can easily delete or edit. This permanence encourages us to think more carefully before writing and to take our plans more seriously. It’s a subtle but powerful way to enhance our focus and commitment.

Balancing Digital and Paper

Of course, digital tools still have their place. They are excellent for storing and organizing large amounts of information, setting reminders, and managing repetitive tasks. But for daily planning and deep thinking, paper can be far more effective.

By combining the strengths of both digital and paper tools, we can create a balanced and efficient system. Use digital calendars for scheduling and reminders, but rely on paper for daily planning and note-taking. This hybrid approach allows us to leverage the best of both worlds.

Embracing Simplicity

In a world that’s intentionally complex, there’s something incredibly refreshing about the simplicity of paper. It strips away the noise and distractions, allowing us to focus on what truly matters. It’s a return to basics that can have a profound impact on our productivity and well-being.

We don’t need the latest app or gadget to be productive. Sometimes, all we need is a notebook and a pen.

Taking Action

So, let’s take action. Let’s experiment with paper planning and see how it impacts our productivity. Start small with a simple notebook and pen. Write down your daily tasks, thoughts, and plans. Notice how it feels and how it affects your focus and clarity.

As you integrate paper planning into your daily routine, you may find that it offers a level of simplicity and effectiveness that digital tools can’t match. It’s a small change that can lead to significant improvements in your overall well-being.

Moving Forward

In a world that’s constantly pushing us towards digital solutions, paper planning offers a refreshing alternative. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the simplest tools can be the most effective.