We use our phones a lot and more and more people are trying to do something about it – they are even switching to special “minimalist” phones. These phones are nice, but I think there is actually a much better and simpler solution to the problem: a smartwatch with a mobile data connection.
Leave your phone at home
Before I get into the reasons why a smartwatch is a great “minimalist” phone, we need to address the obvious. None of this works if you’re still walking around with your phone in your pocket all day. The temptation to pull out your phone will still be there.
To get all the benefits of a “minimalist” phone with your LTE smartwatch, you need to put some distance between you and your phone from time to time. When you wake up in the morning, leave your phone on your nightstand. When you’re done working for the day, put your phone somewhere out of reach. Don’t take your phone to your kid’s basketball game. You get what I mean.
Notifications without distraction
Most people would probably agree that the biggest concern with smartphone use is distraction. We’ve all unlocked our phone to quickly check the temperature, only to find ourselves engrossed in social media or an email. And notifications are constantly popping up, trying to get us into the situation.
However, notifications aren’t necessarily a bad thing, and the fear of missing out can make “minimalist” phones a hard sell for some people. The beauty of a smartwatch is that you don’t have to choose between missing notifications or being distracted by your phone. You’ll still get every notification that comes through on your phone – there’s just not much you can do on a 2-inch screen.
For example, when a notification from Instagram says someone liked your post, everyone’s first instinct is to open the app. And before you know it, you’ve just spent 15 minutes scrolling through Reels. With a smartwatch, you can still see that someone liked your post, but you won’t be pulled to your watch—there’s no app that can do that.
Access only to important apps
Speaking of apps, smartwatches don’t have many, and that’s good if you want to limit your screen time. Most smartwatches only have apps for essential tasks: phone, messaging, mobile payments, weather, calendar, maps, music, smart home control, fitness tracking, and maybe even notes.
Ultimately, it’s these apps that make smartphones so useful. It’s all the unnecessary stuff – especially social media – that turns these super-handy tools into distraction machines. That’s another great thing about a smartwatch: it’s like a smartphone without all the stuff.
Still easy to call and text
Of course, a smartphone is basically a phone, even if that’s not how we primarily use it anymore. That’s why an LTE smartwatch in particular – not a Wi-Fi-only smartwatch – is a great minimalist phone. It has the same calling and texting features. You can still leave the house without worrying about missing a call or being able to call someone in an emergency.
A smartwatch with a data connection uses the same phone number as your phone. You don’t have to give anyone a new number. In an emergency, a smartwatch can even be better than a phone. Since the watch is physically attached to your body, you always have it within reach. Many smartwatches now also have an “emergency SOS” button combination.
Minimalist phones are all about conscious limitations, and that’s exactly what a smartwatch does well. The small screen strips everything down to the essentials. And since an LTE smartwatch is always connected, you can leave your phone at home and go about your life while still being connected to the world without being bothered by all the distractions.
