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Editor’s note: The Anti-Technologist is a column by Blake Snow. It advocates unconventional use of consumer technology and expels the wonders of finding offline balance in an online world.
SALT LAKE CITY — Before you read another word, I want you to look at the below image. Study it. Memorize it. It's the best way I know how to set a cell phone.
In short, I turn off all sound alerts, with exception to voice calls. I also turn off all visual notifications so my apps and phone can't distract me unless I want them to.
It wasn't always that way, though. Like most smartphone users, I used to set all my alerts to interrupt my life the second anything came in. Voice calls. Emails. Texts. Software alerts. Website comments. RSS updates. (Keep in mind this was before social media, so things have gotten worse.)
These distractions understandably drove my wife crazy because I was, in essence, having an affair with my phone. White lies were told when asked, "Blake, what were you doing?" Often times I'd leave the room — or wherever it was we were vacationing — for "a quickie" to avoid sideways glances that accurately accused me of being elsewhere in thought, priority and identity.
I did this for a couple of years until it finally drove me crazy. I had formed a love-hate disorder with my phone. I liked it for the conveniences it did then (and now), but I knew I was unable to have a personal life with this leash-like phone around. So I began purposefully leaving it behind on nights and weekends.
And then I had a brilliant idea: Why not turn off all alerts except for voice calls? No text alerts. No app notices. No status updates. Nothin'.
The moment I flipped the switch, my personal, love and social life did this:
Now, not everyone has the same psychological temptations or work demands as me. And I don't presume to speak for every working professional. But with proper planning, I'm convinced my phone settings can improve the lives of most white collar workers, including busy executives and hungry entrepreneurs.
The reason: Millions of people (if not billions globally) are susceptible to the same kinds of compulsive behavior as I am. Pavlov proved this with his popular dog experiment. Which explains why the unexpected alerts or "rewards" of our smartphones lead many of us to compulsion disorders, missed meals, strained relationships and offline imbalance. It's why I'm writing a book on the subject.
In that regard, my phone settings are better than yours. I speak from experience.
The anti-technologist is a column by Blake Snow that advocates late adoption of consumer technology and expels the wonders of finding offline balance in an online world.
