Step One - Separate Phone from Smartphone

The major tip that freed me from my smartphone for over 3 years was removing the phone functionality from the smartphone. There are a few ways to accomplish this.

The necessity. I only NEED my smartphone/iPhone/Samsung in my pocket for the phone functionality. Due to this necessity, I can't shut my iPhone off.

My wife, kids, and clients need to reach me in emergencies, such as when the milk runs out (this text message usually arrives after I have checked out of the grocery store), or when my teenager needs my chauffeur services. 

The problem. Resultantly, the smartphone with all of its addicting and distracting features (I'm looking at you Wordle) stays put in my pocket. Always on. Always close by. Always needing to be charged.

Try telling a toddler not to eat any more sweets, and then store candy in said toddler's bed. The mix of the phone and smartphone functionalities makes it nearly impossible to shut off or put the smartphone away.

My solution. Once I decided to ditch my iPhone, I realized that I still needed a phone close by. I rummaged through my old wires and obsolete electronics (why am I still storing these?), and I rediscovered my old Nokia dumb phone and charger.

I wasn't surprised that it still worked. This thing could hold a charge for weeks. 

I powered off my iPhone, switched the SIM card into the dumb phone, and began my path toward smartphone freedom. I stowed the iPhone in my briefcase in case I needed emergency internet.

 

For the next three years and 10 months, I would only need to power up the iPhone a couple of times. Switching to the dumb phone (also known as a feature phone or basic phone), was the first major step toward my gaining control of technology and freeing myself from the grip of smartphones.

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Other Solutions. Aside from fully switching to a dumb phone and keeping the smartphone as a backup, there are similar alternative solutions:

• Call forwarding from the smartphone to a dumb phone (with a cheap second line);
• Second Line on a dumb phone, and only give out that number to relatives/close friends
• Land Line in the house, and go completely off the grid otherwise; or
• Second smartphone that you keep tethered at home (with full functionality and with all the apps that you will ever need), and also a skinny app-less smartphone that you keep on you. 

Conclusion. Removing the phone from the smartphone is the first step of the High Tech Revolt Guide. The Second Step is to replace the other functionalities that the smartphone has centralized (think alarm clock). 

Summary of Options. From entry-level to most extreme, the five methods of separating your phone from your smartphone are:

1. Two smartphones, one skinny and one robust
2. Call forwarding to dumb phone
3. Second line on a dumb phone
4. Dumb phone only
5. Land line