I spend a lot of time on the computer completing my freelance writing projects, and I also spend significant time on the Internet dealing with my multiple blogs, promoting my services on LinkedIn, and networking with other writers and entrepreneurial types on Twitter, Google Plus, forums, and other blogs.
But when I’m not on my computer, I want to be unplugged from work and the near-constant distractions of the Internet. That’s why I don’t have a smartphone.
The Dangers of Smartphones
Granted, some of this applies to most phones, but I’ve seen far too many people doing dangerous things with their smartphones, like texting while driving (let alone talking while driving), and what I think is especially stupid, texting or reading with their phones while in crosswalks.
In short, smartphones and cell phones take people away from being fully engaged with the their environment. That can be very dangerous, and it also reduces the overall experience of being human.
There’s also mounting evidence about the negative impacts of constant connection to the Internet on how the brain works. I’ve written much more about that here.
I Do Have a Cell Phone
And it’s a Tracfone. Overall it costs me about a hundred bucks a year and it allows me to do the basic communications I need to when I’m away from home: calling and texting. (Now what do those smartphones and their two-year commitments typically cost?)
But my phone doesn’t have very good Internet capability, so I never use it to get online. That means when I’m away from my computer, I can be more in touch with my surroundings and my companions.
Does It Hurt My Freelance Writing Business?
Maybe, but it’s unlikely. It’s rare that responding to an e-mail at 7 a.m. on a Wednesday morning will make much difference compared to responding to it nearly instantaneously at 4 p.m. the previous Tuesday afternoon.
Why You May Actually Need a Smartphone
Some people’s businesses require them to respond very rapidly to e-mail and phone calls, and to be able to access the Internet at a moment’s notice. I’m very grateful my business is not like that.
And some people need to stay in touch with family. They have kids, usually, and they want to know where they are and what they’re doing, and be available when their kids need them. But a regular cell phone also works for that.
And Smartphones Have Some Very Handy Features
My niece lives in Virginia and was recently driving in her car when her phone sounded an alarm and told her a tornado was in the area and that she should take shelter.
On a more mundane level, smartphones can help you get found if you’re lost, and, nearer to my heart, they have a ton of apps to help you manage your time and boost your productivity.
Your Take?
Do you have a smartphone? What would your life be like without it? Don’t have one (yet)? Why?
I don’t have one either, for all the same reasons. When I tell people I don’t have a smartphone, they generally say, “You’re better off without it.” They’re addicted and they know they’re addicted. It isn’t really about productivity at all.
Camille, I spend some afternoons in coffee shops, and I’m amazed at how often people who are studying or working either check their smartphones or are interrupted by them. Definitely not good for productivity!
I love that you don’t have a fancy phone. I agree, they are a distraction. Feeding our addiction to cyber connection. As an international traveler and a Cafe’ goer, I miss the days when you could sit in an airport, or Cafe’ and randomly meet interesting people. Nowadays, everyone is too busy with their faces in a device to notice that a flesh and blood human is sitting right near them ready to connect.
Leslie, that’s one of my biggest complaints about smartphones. They take people away from their surroundings and prevent face-to-face real conversations with real people.
I was anti-smartphone for a long time. But hubby and I broke down and got them around 2 years ago, and I was surprised by how much I loved it. And it really does make me more productive.
For example, I use my smartphone with the Swype app from Nuance (the Dragon, Naturally Speaking folks) to write sometimes. It keeps me away from my computer and the temptation to open other browser windows. It’s my fallback plan on days when I’m feeling distracted.
It also lets me quickly check in on blog comments when I’m away from my desk, again without getting caught up in larger Web-based distractions. I open the WordPress app, approve any pending comments, respond if it’s something that can’t wait and can be answered very quickly, and then exit out of it to get back to whatever else I’m doing. While I technically have normal business hours, I’m very flexible with them if I want to take time off for something else. And I can do that, even as a last minute decision, as long as I’m able to monitor the little things for anything urgent that might come up.
While I’m still very against being connected to email all the time, I’ve had an easier time ignoring it than I thought. I don’t give clients my cell number anymore, so they’re not calling at all hours like they used to. And even if I check email, I very rarely respond to clients from my phone — so I don’t give them the impression that they’re connected to me 24/7.
Along a similar line, it makes regular social media check-ins quicker. I can see if I have Twitter mentions or other responses that I should address. And if not, I can stay away from the computer for a while longer.
I’m even using my phone for podcast recordings because the recordings are much clearer than even the semi-expensive mic setup I have for my computer (I was incredibly impressed by that).
I scan documents with my phone rather than pulling out the scanner. I can take my Pomodoro timer with me anywhere instead of only using it on the computer. My to-do lists are always with me. I get weather alerts. I can listen to streaming radio stations (helpful if we lose power during a storm — we usually don’t lose cell reception). I use it as my GPS. Picture quality is good enough to use it as my primary camera. I can use it to track my steps or schedule workouts. I can use it to track other health issues I deal with on a regular basis. I use it as a mobile hot spot so I can keep my computer online if I lose power (laptop battery plus the smartphone = an extra two or three hours of connectivity, and then I can charge both in the car if I need to — I don’t do this often, but it’s helpful if I’m on a tight deadline). I use it to read some e-books (though I prefer print books). I use it to sketch out artwork. I occasionally use it for videos (such as to show someone a YouTube video, or recently keeping my 2-year old nephew occupied by letting him watch Netflix on it). I use it as my primary mp3 player now (great in the car). And I use it to listen to podcasts.
All in all, it’s become irreplaceable. I’d never go back to carrying separate devices for most of these features. And my smartphone has, despite my years of protests, become the most important productivity tool I use. It all comes down to self control. Either you have enough to put the phone down and stay engaged with the world, or you don’t. I imagine it’s easy to fall into that trap. But thankfully I haven’t. I don’t text while driving or even while walking. But I do get more work done away from my desk, which is good for me both mentally and physically. 🙂
Jenn, you’ve done an excellent job of laying out how useful a smartphone can be, especially for people with more complex lives. I think what’s most important is that you are able to set rules for when and how you’ll use your smartphone, and you stick to them.
I did not have even a cell phone until 2003. I was a road warrior in my corporate life and somehow I managed.
I do have smartphone but did not get one until I started my own business in late 2008. Like Jenn, I have an easy time ignoring it. If I am at home, and away from my office, I leave the smartphone at my desk. And it gets shut off every night at 8 PM.
I rarely get calls from clients that are not pre-arranged so I do not have a problem with them calling me after my work hours. Plus, since I live on the west coast and a good number of my clients are on the east coast, they’re usually off the clock before I am.
You know what they say, John. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 😉
It’s an individual decision, or course, and it sounds like you don’t let your smartphone run your life. I haven’t totally ruled out getting one some day, but I think that day is likely a long ways off, if ever.
I have a smart phone, but I don’t use it like one. It was a gift because my old phone was getting really unreliable, and I was grateful I didn’t have to pay for a new one. I use the features I used on my old phone, like the radio or the calendar, in addition to the calling and texting, and that’s it. I don’t have an internet package, and I like that.
I have a MacBook Air I don’t mind carrying out, and that has me spending enough time looking at a screen. I don’t want to spend more time staring at a smaller one:)
Pinar, I have a very lightweight Samsung ultrabook laptop that I frequently have in my day pack when I leave the house. I usually work in the afternoons at a coffee shop or the library, so I can, of course, check my email and anything else on the Internet.
So I’m not alone?
One Christmas, my brother heard his phone ring. Since I was on my feet, he asked if I could hand him his phone. “It’s on the piano.” There were five iPhones on the piano (at least four more people were using their phones at that time).
I had an 8-year old mock me for losing my place when her mom asked me to read something on her iPhone. Sorry, but when you’re not used to touch screens, and don’t know what you’re looking for, there is a learning curve. “Just give me the phone, Auntie Paula. It’ll be easier.”
A few weeks ago I mentioned something about not having a smart phone and a cousin asked if I had a cell phone at all. I said yes. She said, “Please don’t tell me it’s a flip phone.” I held it up and said, “Worse. It doesn’t even have a camera.”
It’s a GoPhone – which, like your Trac Phone – costs me about $100 a year. It’s $25 plus tax once every three months. By last year I’d built up a surplus of unused minutes that they waived my fees for an entire year. I view it as an emergency phone, or one I use on the rare occasions I’m away from home for more than a couple hours.
My provider cautioned me (a year ago) that 2G service is being phased out, so I will need to upgrade at some point. Last week my sister was complaining about how slow her iPhone is. She wants a new one, and asked if I wanted her old one when she gets a new one. So now I have to see what plans I can get for it, and what they cost. (I have a feeling some of the lower rates only apply if you buy a phone through that provider). Then I have to figure out if I can justify the extra expense.
It’s such a relief to know I’m not the only one out there without a smartphone!
Paula, I also have problems with touch screens. My current phone is all touch screen, and I have difficulties making things scroll. I also have the same issue with my Kindle Paper White. I either press too hard or not hard enough.
Hi John,
You make some excellent points! However, I actually do have a smartphone and use a lot the apps quite regularly for productivity reasons, but I also use it to be able have immediate response to emails and other messages that are very important to my business.
But to each his own I suppose. Some can manage without it and other can’t.
Excellent post! Really enjoyed reading it.
William, some people really do need to have near-instant connectivity. Sounds like you are one of them.
John, I have an exotic and highly desirable flip phone. I deliberately don’t have a smart phone because I am on the net 10 or more hours a day as it is (and sometimes on the iPad mini after that). I simply don’t want to be tempted to be pulled again and again into the electronic world after I’ve stepped away, tugged by the instant gratification of the email/text/tweet/app.
However, I have messed with an “extra” iPhone a fair amount lately, using it as an iPod touch on wi-fi, because it’s not signed up for a carrier. But I’m not going to carry the durn thing around (yet). The electronic siren call of our devices is loud, but it’s worth at least considering resisting.
Tom, I also spend many hours a day in front of a computer screen. That’s why I like to spend any time away from the computer as unplugged as possible.
In fact, I often turn off the Internet when I’m working at home just so I have less temptation to see what’s happening online.
I have an iPhone but I’m not much of a phone person calling to chat with people. I got it when my ex and I were still together and he needed a new phone so we got a deal on 2 iPhones. Due to his business it was a good decision because it syncs with calendar and scheduling. For me when I’m out and checking emails on the iPhone I’ve found out that a publisher has accepted a book or an article so that’s a little cause for celebration – stop at the donut shop on the way home. When I’m in a waiting room I do surf the Internet to kill time. Hey maybe even sometimes I get an email from you with a new article up and I read it! I don’t use the phone that much but I do have a better long distance plan on it that comes in useful and international texting. I live in a province with laws against using handheld devices while driving. Even the $167 fine doesn’t stop people. I can’t tell you how many people I see driving their calls with their cell phone up to their ear or texting. Distracted driving (mainly due to phones) is the #1 cause of traffic accidents here and ultimately everyone’s insurance rates go up because injury claim payouts are high. I have a handsfree device in my car, on my sun visor, but I hardly ever remember to turn it on.
Cheryl, many U.S. states also have laws against driving while holding a phone, but that doesn’t seem to stop most people from doing it. It’s actually one of my pet peeves. I’d like to see much stricter enforcement and even higher fines.
I have a smartphone, but I hardly use it. I can go days without touching it. However, I find it handy in certain situations–mostly using its GPS or checking my email when I can’t get to a computer.
Even so, I definitely see where you’re coming from. I think it’s a huge matter of preference. I don’t think my smartphone makes me less productive. I don’t think it makes me more productive. Seeing as I don’t use it often, I don’t think it has a huge effect on me in the realm of not being engaged with my surroundings.
I don’t personally use my phone much in conducting business, but I can see where it could be a huge advantage to other people.
So I guess I’m trying to say that I’m pretty neutral on the topic. I’m just glad that I’m not addicted to it like the majority of my generation.
Alicia, it’s the addiction aspect that really troubles me. A smartphone can definitely be very useful in many instances, it’s just that I see so many people so focused on what’s happening on their tiny screens.
I have a smart phone… I solve the problem you’re talking about by using it as if it didn’t connect to the ‘net… no email, no games, nothing. Wish I hadn’t bought it, but I did.
My partner and I considered getting smartphones a couple of years ago, but we both realized we were fine with phones that handle texts and voice messages.
John,
I could have written this article. Seriously. Agree with all your points – especially about how it prevents us from living in the now, the distraction issues (walking/driving & texting).
For me, those little extras you get with a Smartphone are nice, but not critical. I do quite well with my computer – and yes, little Tracfone. The simpler, the better.
Thanks so much for writing this.
Paula, there are a lot of great features on smartphones, but often we can use other methods to get the same result.
Many people tout the GPS features of smartphones. Of course, there are times when GPS can be very handy, but I’ve never used it. I still use maps or my spatial memory. Studies have shown that use of GPS results in a decreased ability of the brain to remember where places are and how to get to them.
Couldn’t agree more John. I hate those things and what they’ve done to our society. At the risk of being a bit politically incorrect, I call people who are glued to those things “phonetards”. To me these folks are mostly just wasted space…lumps of inattentive flesh that I have to navigate around and look out for. I can’t imagine having the quality of life, health, fitness and awareness I have now if I had one of those little monsters. I wish I was a pickpocket because most people in public, at least where I live, are pre-distracted. All I’d have to do is take their wallets. No matter where you live, the world is a dangerous and beautiful place…you miss both when you’re staring at a screen…or as I put it in a song…”Handhelds, headphones, virtual gear…they can take you anywhere…anywhere but here…” I suppose I’ll have to get a cell when land lines are obsolete, but it’s going to live on my desk unless I’m traveling. When I’m home, I’m often engaged in the virtual world…I’ve got nothing against the internet…but when I’m out in the world…the dangerous and beautiful world…I’m all in. No phones. Thanks John. Good post. GB
Gene, I definitely hear you about the importance of being fully aware of both the danger and the beauty of the world.
I recently saw a young man riding his bicycle no hands along a very busy street while texting on his phone.
I unfortunately am one of the mobile addicted.
My mother has a regular feature phone and is quite happy; gadgets and such are of no use as she has a house phone and a netbook I gave her. I wish I could be like that but I can never go back to having a standard phone without data, texting, etc… I do nearly all of my writing on my iPad and I have my smartphone near me constantly. Naturally, I’m bogged down with chargers and battery packs whenever I go out.
I do draw the line at least at meal times with my teen. No phone, computer, portable game system, et al at the table. I shudder to think how easy it would be to stare down at a screen while passing the potatoes!
Jacqueline, some people who aren’t on computers much might have good use of a smartphone to check email and do some basic Internet stuff. At least you have some boundaries about when it’s not acceptable to use.
No joke – As I’m reading the comments and everyone’s opinions about smartphones (most pretty negative), mine just told me an earthquake was coming. Wow…
I love my smartphone and I use it for good, not evil. I agree about people who are too absorbed in their phones and I also agree about the distraction it poses.
I got rid of all social media on my phone and I don’t carry it all the time. I use it to study languages, navigate the crazy Tokyo train lines, listen to audiobooks, and I have a handy dictionary app. Oh, and there’s nothing related to work on it. When I’m away from work, I’m away from work.
I think it all boils down to personal responsibility. Some people abuse or don’t use responsibly, and that’s it. I tried to hate my smartphone and see it as a destroyer of society (my wife got it for me, I didn’t want it), but I just couldn’t. It’s good to me.
Greg, it sounds like you’re using your smartphone responsibly. And I can see how a smartphone can be useful in so many ways, including disasters.
We just had a fire in far northern California near where I used to live. It burned nearly 100 structures very quickly. Perhaps there were alerts on smartphones that helped people get out of their homes in time.
I don’t think smartphones are dangerous. I think people are dangerous. 🙂 I think you know what I mean.
I have a smartphone and it helps me when I’m out of home: recording ideas, taking photos and videos, checking bus times (there are apps for the bus lines I use), consult a map in case I get lost (which happens!), or send a quick email to a client or a friend when there’s free Wi-Fi in the area.
At home, I use it as a simple phone for calls and text messages.
I love technology and I think smartphones make life easier, but only when used responsibly. I agree that it’s easy to turn them into an addiction (but so do computers, videogames and TV, too).
Luana, I think you nailed it on the head: it’s about responsible use. The problem is that too many people don’t use their phones responsibly.
That is why I’m an advocate for education on responsible technology use in school. Too many people buy tech gadgets and don’t even know how to use them properly (same happens for the Internet, alas).
Also, I think smartphones are a big no-no for kids under 12. There are simpler cellphones for kids out there that are much better in case they need one to take along when they go camping or are not home for a long time.
Luana, there is a lot of research showing that using electronic devices too much changes the structures and abilities of our brains, often in negative ways. A key one for students: the ability to concentrate can be severely hampered.
And I love my smartphone – though I agree it eats up a lot of time, but it is often necessary both for work and gives you something to do when you are in jams
I have a smartphone and find it useful on the rare occasions when I need to check email on the go. I’ve taken off the social media apps, but find it useful for scanning items, taking photos and making notes. I’ve turned off all notifications and also turn the phone off every evening.
Sharon, you’re making very good use of your smartphone. There are occasionally times when I’m out and about that I do want to check my email.
The biggest disadvantage of having a smart phone is the constant distractions from emails, apps, facebook, etc. Some people do need to be constantly connected but it also keeps them on edge 24/7 which makes them less efficient since they’ll be overworked.
Matthew, I have seen many people who just can’t seem to relax because they are constantly checking the smartphone.
I’ve got a buddy who still doesn’t even own a cell phone. He owns a wine bar, so he has a land line, and his philosophy is that “If someone needs to find me, they will.”
At the risk of being redundant at what’s already been said, you need to do what makes sense for your own situation, in life and business. I went to an iPhone about 3 or 4 years ago and it’s helpful on both counts. Sure it’s good for handling client emergencies or checking the status on a project, but as several others have pointed out, it’s my wifi hotspot for remote work on my laptop, radio/music for working out or doing yardwork, and the Nike+ app is a great training device. As long as it stays in my pocket at times when safety or social interaction should take precedence, it adds to my life rather than being a distraction.
Jake, you exemplify the balanced approach to smartphone use.
There are definitely dangers of having a smartphone. The texting while driving (or in other places where physical threats are imminent) issue is a real problem that causes perhaps even more accidents than calls while driving. The smartphones are particularly bad because you can’t feel for the buttons while keeping your eyes on the road. You have to spend more time looking at the screen. That’s dangerous.
From a sociological perspective, smartphones are changing the way we interact with information and our surroundings. There’s a world of distraction available on a smartphone and it’s no surprise we find a sea of people in social settings interacting remotely with people by text, email and social media. We are all less engaged with our surroundings thanks to our phones. The volume of distraction and availability of so much information also is teaching people to conform everything in life to a few sentences that will be immediately replaces by a stream of other concepts put together in tweet-sized form.
All that said, I do love my smartphone. I do need mobile access to email and work apps. I like the ability to make use of idle time that would otherwise be wasted so I can choose my free time for my personal desires. However, I feel like I use my phone far less than many other people.
Thanks for sharing great article. I’ve a smartphone. I only turn it on when i want to make a call.
Thanks for this….
Right now I don’t even have a cell phone. The people who need to get a hold of me know to text me, or send me an email. I work with a computer or my tablet connected to wifi most of the time. When I am not connected there is a good reason for it (traveling, or intentionally out of range).
Even if an emergency does come up, I am so rarely without wifi that I am easily reached.
I have thougth about getting an Ipad with cellular service in the past but that always comes back to too much connection. I like to have the option to block out the rest of the world every now and then.
Hi John,
This post made me click and read it (from a link on MALW) since I’ve been thinking of getting rid of my smartphone, selling it or just giving it away, and instead, getting a normal feature phone.
I recently deleted my FB profile which was a huge distraction for me, even though I am not an addict and didn’t use it as much as some people do. Next thing, I thought of the chat app on my phone called whatsapp. I’ve stopped messaging people and so they also almost stopped messaging me. Been days now, I checked the messages. Feels better and light.
Whenever I’m on the bed, the smartphone is with me. This is a bad habit I need to overcome.
I didn’t have to think of the pre-Internet era about how much and how easily I could concentrate. I’m able to concentrate that way even now when I sit in a garden to write a blog post or article. I make sure not to carry my phone when I go for a walk or for writing. 🙂
My cell phone era started in 2008. Before that year, I always refused to buy or accept a cell phone even as a gift. Not even from my bosses. I still know a friend who does not have a cell phone and it is by choice. He works in a big bank but is much happier and satisfied.
Most people with smartphones are unlike our Alicia Rades. I’ve heard of people checking their FB or email or whatsapp the first thing after they get up. This is super bad. The first 10 minutes after we get up, our brain is still in the alpha stage and whatever we do affects our whole day. Think what could happen if someone sent a bad or angry message or email!
Yes, there are things and apps in a smartphone which can be very helpful. But I think, we can do without them. It still depends on our fortune and past karmic actions. God helps us through someone, if we have a good connection with him and have been good to others, at times of need – whether you have a smartphone or not.
I will post here again, once I’m done with my smartphone, and let you know the experience. Also, I’m glad and appreciate your wise decision of not getting a smartphone. Our needs can be fulfilled, but not wants. Smartphone isn’t a need IMO – it’s a want which increases our wants.