Having a Smartwatch Has Changed My Relationship With My Phone… for the Better
Honestly, I’m surprised.
I used to make fun of people who wore a smartwatch. I couldn’t understand how, in this age of anxiety and constant solicitation, when everyone was intoxicated by technology and connectivity, one could still want to get closer to the worst of all objects: a phone.
Keeping it in our pocket all the time wasn’t enough, we had to stick it on our wrist. I saw this as the first step towards human robotization: first a phone on the wrist, then an electronic chip in the neck.
For me, it was a “no way.” I looked at these objects with disdain.
I couldn’t imagine that I would be wearing one 24/7, and sooner than I thought.
My father and brother both have a smartwatch. My dad got it as a gift from his mum because she wanted him to monitor his heartbeat. My brother got it because he is a technology buff.
In both cases, I still didn’t understand the point of the object.
Earlier this summer the four of us went hiking in the French Alps. In the morning, my father and brother compared the information about their sleep given by their smartwatch. When we got home after a day out, they would discuss again how many steps they had taken, how far they had walked, and so on.
As I am quite focused on my health and physical activity, I started asking them for information. I too wanted to know how many steps I had taken, in a more precise way than what my phone was telling me. Gradually, I thought it would be convenient to keep track of my training, as I exercise every day.
This was the beginning of the end of my repulsion for watches. And that’s not even the reason why owning a smartwatch changed my life.
My father saw my growing interest in their smartwatches. Finally, as we were having a picnic on the beach, he handed me a small package. I opened it and saw a brand new Xiaomi Band 5.
I was very happy. I opened it right away and started to set it up.
However, I was hesitant to turn on notifications. I saw it more as a fitness companion than as a way to connect to my phone. I was really afraid that my relationship with it would deteriorate even more.
I don’t know about you, but I was exhausted from this constant obligation to have a phone. I developed unhealthy habits and an addiction when all I wanted was to get rid of it.
I can’t turn it off even for 5 hours, when really I would like to turn it off for a whole month, because it’s my way of keeping in touch with my loved ones, and it’s also an important tool for the freelance writer that I am.
I can’t help but keep it with me all the time, even at home. I hate when it rings, I feel like I’m being whistled at like a dog, so I put in on silent mode. That means I’ve got into the habit of checking it more and more frequently. I would check the notifications, reply, and then instinctively my thumb would click on the email or Instagram icon and I would lose precious minutes on an app where I had nothing to do at all.
Until I got this smartwatch.
I decided to give notifications a chance. I could always deactivate them afterward. I set up a vibration for calls, text messages, Messenger, direct Instagram, Whats’app, and Snapchat. I also enabled calendar reminders.
The effect of all this has been very counter-intuitive. I thought it would bring me even closer to my phone. But the opposite happened.
Suddenly I didn’t need to carry my phone around anymore. All pressure disappeared. I was no longer afraid of missing something.
Soon I left my phone aside. My screen time decreased considerably. I felt less and less ill from this permanent connection. And I felt freer and freer of its grip.
Now I no longer miss important calls because my phone is in silent mode.
Now I also get my messages with slight vibrations, and I can read them and answer all of them in a row later.
Now I can leave my phone aside and not bother to check it frequently. I can also leave it at home when I go running because I can track my activity offline.
Now I no longer check my email or Instagram every time I answer a text message.
Now I don’t feel stressed when I hear my phone alarm in the morning because I am woken up by light vibrations, which is much more soothing.
Now I don’t have to worry about my phone anymore.
I was fed up with my phone. Having a smartwatch changed my relationship with it for the better. It has regained its place as a useful tool to connect and stay in touch with my loved ones. It is no longer a burden. Just a useful object.
I never thought I would ever write it down, but the reality is that smartwatches can have many positive effects. Also, it doesn’t have to be expensive: mine is great, the battery lasts over two weeks and costs less than $30.
Just don’t choose a smartwatch that can display social networks or YouTube videos. Or that lets you reply to your messages. Otherwise, you might just get an extension on your phone at the wrist, and the result will be even worse.
Mine just displays notifications, and that’s it. And it’s perfect just the way it is.
