Why would you do such a thing? Modern man has achieved much in recent history. One of man’s major achievements as of late, for the lack of better terms, is creating the cure for boredom. That’s right – boredom.
Thanks to our smart phones (along with tablets, other hand helds, etc.) the modern man no longer has to fret with nothing to do. There is always an app close by, another email to read, a bill to pay, an Angry Bird to save, and the list goes on and on with what’s at your fingertips. While there is much to be thankful for about the ‘productivity’ in our hands, there is also something to worry about – the demise of boredom.
Boredom, as I see it, is free space to think, wonder, and roam the world between your ears. I do not define boredom as having nothing to do, but rather having everything to do. I believe the individual needs this time for overall health, sanity, and clarity. Humans have always had a component of boredom in their lives, but only recently have we had an option to opt out of being bored. I would argue that our minds are not able to handle the current degree of stimulation that we face day in day out, thus depleting our overall ability to be creative, strategic, thoughtful, engaged, and so on. If our brains were likened to a city’s infrastructure, I’d say there is too much traffic – thus smog, wrecks, and the general annoyance that comes from traffic is pervasive in our brains.
So getting back to the title of the post, dumbing down our smart phones (I could say “smart devices” but it doesn’t have the same punch) is our ability to know when to say “when” and limit our ability to rid our lives of boredom. We need to recognize boredom as a central tenet that allows other mental ascents to bloom.
What are some ideas on how to do this?
This, of course, depends on your personality, so the below is what I have found suits me best. My guess is you won’t like it. Neither did I….at first.
Limit yourself to 2 pages/screens of applications:
You and I both know that you pretty much use the same apps over and over. Some of these get you out of a jam and some of the others you have on there just because they came on the phone or for novelty’s sake. Get rid of the apps you don’t use or that are simply a novelty.
Turn off YouTube
Yes, I said it. It’s like having America’s Funniest Home Videos in your pocket – and while this may make you laugh it doesn’t make you a better human being and/or more productive. For some reason I always find myself watching soccer highlights – not ones from last night, but amazing plays. I don’t play soccer, I don’t care about soccer, and if you have seen me try to play, it’s a joke. Simply put, it’s a waste of time.
Games, really? Grow up!
Games are the ultimate enemy of boredom. It’s all novelty…if you argue with me on this, it’s going to be laughable logically so just save your breath. There is no point besides ‘vegging’ and escapism. Angry birds, Words With Friends, Flick Home Run, all of them are dulling you as an individual.
News no more (on your phone/device that is)
When was the last time you read the news? Did you go about your day any differently because of what you read? The information is largely un-actionable, thus to keep checking the news on your phone/device is meaningless to your day’s productivity. Yes ‘news’ has an aspect of value but I am sure you will be fine without it on your phone.
Last but not least…shut down your BROWSER!
Gasp. Breath. Breath.
You mean to tell me after you sit on your computer for roughly 8+ hours a day you ‘need’ a browser on your device? If you live in B.R.I.C. (Brazil, Russia, India, China) this does not apply to you. However in the states, aren’t you tired of being on the web? I know it can seem that being at your 5 year old kid’s soccer game or stuck at your spouse’s 3rd cousins house for a once a decade dinner is not as fun as checking your neighbors Facebook page from your phone but take a break. Chill.
So how do I dumb down my SmartPhone? Use Restrictions
Have a friend/spouse/co-worker lock the parts of your phone that you deem a waste of your time. This just makes sense due to the ‘present bias’ we have towards immediate pleasure, which, in this case, means curing our boredom. Have them use a code (that they won’t forget) to unlock the phone when you need to run updates, download a new business app, etc. Immediately have them lock it back and thank them for doing so.
Sound dumb?
*Written by a novelty addict btw…painfully aware of my addictions.
Jumping into Social Media to many people feels like diving head first into the deep end without knowing how to swim. They feel like if they bite the bullet they have to all of a sudden create a Facebook account and say good-bye to a few more hours a week looking at pictures of a dead deer shot by their 3rd cousin or read about a neighbor’s vacation to the Bahamas. While this could be your plight, it doesn’t have to be, nor should it be. Here are some quick tips to try your hand at a few different aspects of Social Media geared for busy professionals.
