Dumber Phone

It’s 2025 and we’ve pretty much all come to realize how addictive these little (or not so little) devices in our pocket really are, but yet struggle to manage them.

There are a number of dumb phones that have been released recently to address this, trying to provide just enough functionality without the bad stuff, but they aren’t cheap.

I’ve taken an alternate route, making my current phone as dumb as possible, without purchasing another device. Here are six things that seem to help:

1. Small phone. My current device is an iPhone 13 mini and I really love the size. Having a smaller screen also makes you want to look at it less. Unfortunately new phones are way larger 🤷
2. Remove apps. This is an obvious one, but remove apps that you find addictive and allow you to browse or scroll.
3. Block sites. Even with apps removed, the browser can be distracting too. I’ve set time limits for certain sites, and blocked others completely. Although this can be turned off, it’s often enough of a barrier to break the habit.
4. Notifications off. Another obvious one, but turning off notifications for almost all apps, besides calls, texts, and calendar / reminders prevents easy distraction. Also, turning off the notification counter can help too (that red dot is way too triggering).
5. Launcher app. This is a bigger change, but replacing your home screen of apps with a launcher is a great way to keep you focused on those apps you want to use vs all the distracting ones you don’t. Get instructions here
6. Color off. This is a small step, but a big change. By turning the phone to grayscale, it reduces the visceral reaction you have to seeing specific colors (especially the red notifications). I’ve set this up to be toggled with the side button, so I can turn color on for photos & maps etc.

My goal isn’t to simply reduce my screen time, but rather to make it harder to waste my time. Overall it’s working fairly well, though I find it necessary to review from time to time, and modify as new distractions sneak in.