Credit: René Ramos/Lifehacker/Eshma/iStock/Kseniya Ovchinnikova/Moment/Getty Images
My concentration is lost. I know this because I checked my phone four times while writing this introductory paragraph. I'm addicted to my phone, and it feels both awkward and completely normal, and that's probably the worst part. My phone seems essential for everything: my job requires Slack and quick email responses, my hobbies live in apps and group chats, and even during downtime I end up scrolling through channels I don't really enjoy.
These days, we tend to think of updates (in life, in technology, anywhere) as adding features, but sometimes true updating comes down to removing them. So this year I did something drastic: I locked my iPhone. Well, something like that. And it was the best technical decision I've made in years.
What I Really Did to Improve My Concentration
We talk about phone addiction as a personal shortcoming, but let yourself relax a little. Every app, every notification, every endless scroll is designed by engineers whose job is to keep us locked in. In this way, we have eliminated almost all empty space from our lives, filling every moment of anticipation with content consumption. Are you waiting for the train? Scroll. In line at the store? Scroll. Between tasks at work? Scroll.
I can't afford it go full “stupid phone”so I took the middle path: “downgrading” my smartphone to function like a dumb phone while keeping the really useful features like navigation, ride sharing, and FaceTime. Here's what I did:
I turned on grayscale mode. It's amazing how boring your phone becomes when it looks like an old newspaper. That red notification icon causing a dopamine rush? Just grey. A carefully curated Instagram visual feast? Grey. Suddenly my phone was as addictive as a filing cabinet.
I deleted time consuming apps. I got rid of the major social media apps, all the news apps that were really just alarm systems, and other social media apps. If I wanted to check something, I would have to do it on my computer, which added just enough friction to make me reconsider whether I actually cared about it.
I turned off non-essential notifications. In general, I turned off almost all notifications. No icons, no banners, no sounds. My phone went silent unless someone actually called me or messaged me directly.
I began to physically separate myself from my phone during focused work. He went into another room, face down, in a box, anywhere but within arm's reach. Out of sight, out of the dopamine loop.
How to break my iPhone – the best life hack
It may seem awkward, but it's honest: at first it felt like phantom limb syndrome. My thumb kept reaching for apps that weren't there. I've pulled out my phone in line at a coffee shop only to stare at a blank screen and think, “So what now?” The answer, as it turned out, was nothing. And this nothing was exactly what I needed.
The first week was really uncomfortable. My brain kept expecting blows that never came. I felt anxious, ashamed, humiliated, understimulated, almost itchy—and that pretty much told me everything I needed to know about how deep the addiction was.
Luckily, the benefits showed up faster than I expected. After two weeks I noticed that I could read longer. I also think my creative work has improved. Deep work—the kind in which you solve truly complex problems—requires entering a state of flow. I need at least 20 minutes of uninterrupted concentration to even get into that zone, and for me, an Instagram notification ruins it instantly. By removing the interruption infrastructure from my phone, I was suddenly able to think clearly all day long.
In addition to turning off my phone, I decided to become more observant again. I was waiting somewhere and instead of reaching for the phone, I just… looked around. Watch people. Pay attention to architectural details. Eavesdrop on conversations. Watch the weather change. It sounds petty, but it completely changed the way I think about being in public places.
What are your thoughts so far?
I believe boredom is where creativity lives. When your mind does not receive constant food, it begins to generate its own entertainment. I had ideas in my heart again. Real ideas, not just snippets borrowed from what I read on the Internet; I had original thoughts that surprised me, connections that my brain made when no content was forced upon it. It sounds mundane, but I promise it's the opposite. This is how thinking actually works when you let it.
Especially thanks to social media, I've gotten used to constantly having to deal with my life. While these days I still believe that kind of productivity is necessary to “make it” as a creative, I learned that much of my FOMO was an algorithm problem. You're not really missing anything important; you are shown a carefully curated highlight reel designed to make you feel inadequate. Once you get out of this flow, you will realize how much of it was artificially created anxiety. What I thought I needed to do ended up being completely forgotten.
Bottom line
My broken iPhone means downgraded functionality and improved quality of life. That's the whole story, really.
We view phone use as a matter of personal responsibility, but that's like blaming people for being addicted to substances that were designed to be addictive. Companies build their algorithms around persuasive technologies. They A/B test features to maximize engagement. They know exactly what they are doing and what they do turns your attention into profit.
Look, I'd like to go more radical, but I have my limits. I need to be responsive to work—Slack messages can't wait three hours. And I truly love laughing in group chat, and this is very timely. These moments of connection matter, and I'm not interested in becoming a complete digital hermit.
But going forward, I'm desperately trying to get my brain back. My ability to think deeply, pay attention, create meaningfully, and communicate authentically is not an optional luxury. They are the whole point.
If your phone feels like it owns you more than you do, your next upgrade may not be a new model. It might just make your current game a little more boring, a little less exciting, and a little more brick-like. Your brain will thank you for this.
