How I reduced my phone usage by 99%

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the author's struggle with excessive phone usage and their journey to reduce it by going "phone-less" for an extended period.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The author's struggle with phone usage

1. What were the main issues the author faced with their phone usage?

• The author dreaded the weekly notification showing they spent 3-4 hours per day on their phone, which they felt could have been better spent
• The main culprits were apps like YouTube, Reddit, and ChatGPT, which the author felt were not adding value to their life
• The author's mood was heavily influenced by the content on Reddit, often feeling worse after using it
• The author's curiosity found a companion in ChatGPT, which could quickly answer any question they had

2. How did the author's phone usage affect their life?

• The author's phone usage was consuming their mental bandwidth and affecting their mood, which subsequently impacted their productive time
• The author felt they didn't need their phone for many daily activities, such as listening to music at the gym or on the bus

[02] The author's "phone-less" journey

1. What happened when the author's phone charging port broke?

• The author's phone usage declined until the phone stopped working entirely
• The author delayed fixing or replacing the phone for a few days, which turned into a month

2. What observations did the author make during their "phone-less" period?

• The world around us is full of clues, and most people are willing to help if you're patient
• The author didn't need to constantly look up information or be reachable in real-time
• Friends adapted to the author's lack of availability on their phone

3. How did the author's "phone-less" journey end?

• The author's car battery died in a gas station, and no one was willing to help, reminding them of the importance of having a phone (not necessarily a smartphone)

4. What were the long-term effects of the author's "phone-less" experience?

• Many of the author's phone usage habits have not yet resurfaced, and they feel more present and less inclined to compulsively consume content
• The author realized their phone usage was not directly taking away from their productive time, but rather consuming their mental bandwidth and affecting their mood