Carl Pullein - analog productivity interview

I recently sat down with Jose Briones - digital minimalism advocate, book author, and YouTuber - for a conversation about intentional technology use, dumb phones, and the analog life. I first discovered Jose through his YouTube channel, and this conversation did not disappoint. We covered a lot of ground, from the history of technology in our homes to the surprising link between financial freedom and digital independence. Here is what came out of it.Jose started his YouTube channel about five or six years ago, talking about digital minimalism and dumb phones. His motivation was personal. After graduating from university in 2018 and starting his first job in 2019 working with nonprofits, community centers, churches, and schools, he found himself spending somewhere around nine to ten hours a day on his phone alone. When you added in work on the computer, the total was closer to twelve or thirteen hours of screen time every day. Those were, as he put it, his darkest times.He decided that was not how he wanted to live. He started looking for alternatives, came across the Light Phone, tried it, liked it, and stuck with it. Since then he has been making videos, writing, and building resources to help other people find their own path with technology.From magic to extractionJose has an interesting way of framing the history of technology in our homes. When tech first arrived in households sometime in the 1980s, it felt magical. Think about the VCR - suddenly you did not have to stay up late to watch something. You could record it and watch it when it was convenient. Think about the first personal computers - people could compose documents at home and bring them to work. It gave them freedom. The early video games, the first consoles - everything felt like it was adding something to life.Because those first technologies made our lives genuinely better, we were trained over time to assume that more technology always means a better life. And for a while that assumption held. But somewhere around 2014 or 2015, things shifted. Technologies stopped being primarily useful to us and started being extractive. Instead of giving us more time and agency, they started demanding more of our attention. The value proposition flipped. It was no longer about making your life easier - it was about keeping you watching longer so that advertisers could make more money from you.I asked Jose whether this was done on purpose or whether it was just a natural evolution of design. His answer was unambiguous. Yes, it was on purpose. They saw that they could make more money by keeping people hooked to their screens than by providing great service. So they hooked people to the screen because it was easier to convince them.Use More Paper is a reader-supported publication. Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Software, hardware, and the screen in betweenSome people argue that the problem is purely about software - the algorithmic feeds, the attention-grabbing apps - and not about the hardware itself. Jose sees it differently. Software is the larger problem, yes. But hardware amplifies the software. It amplifies the good and it amplifies the bad. Looking at a soccer match on a tiny flip phone screen is not the same experience as watching it on a six-inch device. The bigger the screen, the more immersive the experience - for entertainment and for distraction alike.Jose makes a sharp observation here. If hardware manufacturers were truly focused on giving us the best utility without distraction, every company would be using e-ink displays. That technology exists. It is excellent at delivering utility without pulling you into a rabbit hole. But companies do not use it because they want the software to do its thing - to keep you engaged, to keep you scrolling.And this is where the interesting part of Jose’s personal journey begins. Like many people, he initially thought the problem was his physical phone. Switch to a flip phone, life gets better. Simple, right? Not exactly.It is not the device, it is the lifestyleJose quickly realized that while switching devices helped, it did not fix everything. The real issue was internal. He enjoyed being connected, getting information, watching podcasts, reading articles, chatting with friends. In university, he never had this problem because his life was so full - cafeterias, classmates, professors, sports leagues, intellectual lectures. He had a rich offline life and never felt that the internet was giving him a better experience.But once he left that university environment, he lost those built-in structures. He started creating new habits, and instead of going to cafes to talk to people or attending lectures, he started scrolling more. And more. And more. Until his lifestyle became internet-dependent.This is Jose’s core insight, and I think it is an important one. Your environment usually dictates your lifestyle. The better your environment, the better your lifestyle. A dumb phone helps, but it is not going to fix the internal struggle. You need to develop other lifestyle choices that make the offline world more compelling than the online one.The detox trapI asked Jose about a common strategy - simply deleting problematic apps from your smartphone. His answer was nuanced. It can help, he says, but for most people it does not work long-term. The pattern he has seen over and over goes something like this: you delete the apps, you feel great for a few months, you start thinking you have the problem under control, and then you slowly reintroduce the apps. Before you know it, you are right back where you started.He compares it to a detox. People quit coffee or sugar for a while, feel good about it, and then go back to old behaviors once the detox period is over. The same thing happens with smartphones. Without permanent changes to your environment, willpower alone is usually not enough.Jose does point to more permanent solutions, even on smartphones. Tools like Apple Configurator 2 can lock down a device so that you can only use the apps you choose from the start - no installing new ones, no workarounds. This is what is called a mobile device management solution, and it removes the willpower battle entirely. But if you just dump down your smartphone without these environmental constraints, the odds are you will go back to installing everything again.The dumb phone as a gatewayI shared my own experience here. I tried managing my smartphone, I tried the MDM apps, and I still found ways to work around the restrictions - installing a browser, finding loopholes. For me, the dumb phone was actually a gateway drug to a better lifestyle. Once I started using one, I simply could not do those workarounds anymore. The option was gone, and that was liberating.Jose uses the Light Phone 3 as his personal device. No browser, no social media. He literally cannot do those things on it. And that, he says, is a better solution than artificially limiting a smartphone. When you cannot do something, you do not need a workaround.But here is where the conversation got interesting. I said that life in 2026 is very difficult without a smartphone. Jose disagreed - respectfully, but firmly. He acknowledged that life without a smartphone is more inconvenient. Some things take longer, some things are harder, your employer might be more frustrated. He understands if someone does not want to switch because of the inconvenience. But what he disagrees with is the idea that you have no agency to change your situation.Use More Paper is a reader-supported publication. Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.You have more power than you thinkJose gave some great examples. Even in China, where super apps like WeChat handle payments, home access, and digital ID, you could argue that you need a smartphone. But does it have to be your primary device? His argument is that it does not. You can carry a smartphone for the things that absolutely require it and use a flip phone as your daily… Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

I recently sat down with Carl Pullein, a productivity consultant and YouTuber who has spent over a decade helping people get organized. Carl has been using Todoist for twelve years, Evernote for sixteen, and last year he ran a full-year experiment with a Franklin Planner. We talked about why people keep switching tools, why paper still matters, and why convenience might not be as good for us as we think.What came out of the conversation surprised me. Not because the ideas were new, but because they made so much sense - and because science keeps confirming what a simple notebook already knew.Here is what I learned.Stop Switching Apps - You Are Not Doing Any WorkThe first thing Carl told me was blunt. When you switch productivity apps, you are not doing any work. You are just moving stuff from one side of your desk to the other. It is the digital version of shuffling papers around and calling it progress.Most people will never admit this, but the real reason they switch is because the new app looks prettier. Then they find a better excuse. “My current system feels overwhelming.” But here is the thing - it looks overwhelming because of what you put in there. It is not the tool. It is always what you are putting in it.Unless something is actually broken, switching apps is one of the biggest time-wasting activities you can do. Carl has been with Todoist for twelve years. He knows every keyboard shortcut, every workaround, every little trick. That knowledge compounds over time. You do not get that by jumping ship every six months.The Dopamine Trap of a Fresh StartSwitching apps feels good. That is the dopamine talking. You get a momentary sense of relief because you eliminate a lot of the mess from your old system when you transfer to the new one. But give it two or three weeks and it is just as overwhelming as before. Then you see a YouTube video about yet another new app, and the whole cycle starts again.Carl put it beautifully. You are focusing on the tools instead of focusing on the craft. A carpenter who makes chairs and works of art is not constantly shopping for new hammers. Those guys have tools that are a hundred years old, handed down from their grandparents. It is not the tools that make you productive. It is you. It is the clarity of knowing what is important to you and to the work you are doing. The tools are often a distraction, especially if you are changing them all the time.To prove this point, Carl regularly runs experiments where he switches to tools he does not normally use - Apple Reminders, Apple Notes, even a paper planner for a whole year. And every time, his system stays the same. The work gets done. The tools change, the output does not.A Carpenter’s Hammer and the Franklin PlannerCarl’s preferred stack is simple. Todoist for tasks. Evernote for notes. Apple Calendar for scheduling. That is it. No fancy project management software. No complex integrations. When I asked him about project management, he said he uses Evernote as his project manager. He even wrote his book over three years using Scrivener for the writing and Evernote for all the surrounding notes, meetings, and checklists.But the most interesting part of Carl’s system is not digital at all. It is the Franklin Planner he brought back into his life after first using one in 1992. What he loves about it is the layout - tasks on the left, calendar in the middle, notes on the right. When he writes out his appointments by hand, he can visually see how much time he realistically has to do actual work. If the page is full of meetings, he knows not to pile on tasks.This is something digital tools are terrible at. You can schedule your day three times over and the app will still accept it. Paper has a built-in constraint. When the page is full, the day is full. That limitation is not a bug. It is a feature.Use More Paper is a reader-supported publication. Consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The Power of a Pocket NotebookCarl carries a small pocket notebook everywhere. When he watches his favorite podcasts in the evening - Cal Newport, The Rest Is History - he keeps his little notebook next to him instead of a phone. Random thoughts, content ideas, project sparks - they all go in there. It is, by his own admission, a complete mess. But every Saturday during his weekly planning, he goes through the previous week’s notes and pulls out anything worth moving into his digital system.The pocket notebook serves another purpose too. Carl’s wife is Korean and operates on Korean time, which means ten minutes late. Carl is from the UK, which means ten minutes early. So he often has a fifteen-to-twenty-minute window sitting in the car waiting. And instead of scrolling, he writes. He told me there is something about pen and paper that engages the brain better than any digital tool.I started doing something similar years ago - copying the day’s events and tasks onto a paper pocket notepad. If I ran out of space on the page, it meant I would not have the time to do the task. The page was the day. Simple, visual, and honest.Why Handwriting Makes You SmarterThere is real science behind all of this. Carl mentioned the University of Tokyo study, and he was right - there is now a mountain of research showing that handwriting engages the brain differently than typing. When you form letters by hand, you are essentially drawing. You are engaging the creative part of your brain.When you type, it is repetitive tapping. Plus, your word processor starts flagging grammar and spelling mistakes, so you shift from creating to editing. That is the opposite of what you want when you are planning a new project or brainstorming ideas.Carl’s approach to project planning is to grab a clean A4 sheet of paper, a couple of colored pens, and a highlighter. Day one is the big brain dump. Day two, he comes back with a different pen and starts connecting ideas. Day three, more refinement. Then he scans it into Evernote and starts building the digital version. But the initial creative thinking happens exclusively on paper. As he put it - if you want to be creative, pick up a pencil. Or a pen.Leonardo’s Notebooks and Samuel Pepys’s DiaryCarl told me a wonderful story from Walter Isaacson’s Leonardo da Vinci biography. When Isaacson was working with Steve Jobs on his biography, Jobs promised to send over all his journals and notes from the NeXT years. Weeks went by, nothing came. When Isaacson followed up, Jobs admitted the problem - he had typed them into a computer, and even Apple’s best engineers could not open the files. The time gap was just ten years.Meanwhile, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks - thousands of pages of sketches, ideas, and observations - are still perfectly readable five hundred years after his death. Paper does not need a software update.Then there is Samuel Pepys, a low-level civil servant in seventeenth-century London who kept a journal for ten years. He wrote about ordinary life - what it was like to be a middle-class married man in London during the plague. We are incredibly lucky to have that journal, because normally history only records the kings and queens. Pepys gave us the real texture of life. If everything had been digital, there is a good chance we would have none of that.Digital Impermanence Is RealI shared a similar story with Carl about Steve Albini, the music producer who recorded Nirvana’s In Utero. When they prepared a commemorative edition of the album, they could not open some sessions that had been recorded on a digital medium. But the master tapes Albini had recorded on analog reel-to-reel machines were still perfectly fine. They did the mix from those tapes.Analog will always be readable. You can always open a notebook and read the letters on the page. You can always play back a magnetic recording. Digital formats carry compatibility risks that can make your work unreadable within a single decade. This is not a theoretical concern. It has happened to Steve Jobs and to one … Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

By popular demand, here is my Minimal Phone review. And it’s not just a quick first-impression kind of thing. I’ve been using this phone as my daily driver for four months now. It replaced my Punkt MP02, and I have quite a few thoughts to share.I don’t usually do phone reviews because there are better channels for that. But I do think I have something worthwhile to say about this particular kind of device. I have real experience with dumb phones. I was using the Punkt MP02 for a very long time. Half of my family uses a Punkt MP02. My daughter uses one right now. And the Punkt is a really dumb phone - classy, very well designed, but really dumb. It just does calling, texting, and a very basic calendar. That’s it.So the Punkt is dumb and a smartphone is really too smart. The Minimal Phone sits right in between. And that’s where it gets interesting.The E-Ink Screen is a Feature, Not a BugThis phone has two things that make it excellent for this kind of device. First, it has an e-ink screen. Now, the e-ink panel is not the sharpest or crispest display you’ll ever see. It’s rather old school. And I don’t know the exact model, but it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that because it’s old school, consuming media on this phone is really painful.If you have something to compare it to - the Bigme Hibeak Pro I was using has such a crisp screen that you can actually watch YouTube videos on it or browse photos. It’s not completely impossible, just very uncomfortable. On the Minimal Phone, it’s an even poorer experience. And that’s actually the point.If, like me, you want the possibility to download your preferred podcast app and listen to your favorite podcast, or maybe use the phone to listen to a YouTube lecture without looking at the screen - the Minimal Phone is excellent for that. And because it’s a normal Android smartphone under the hood, you can install whatever you want. I’m using Obsidian on my Minimal Phone and it’s really comfortable. I can search information inside my notes whenever I need to. So it’s a very good middle ground between a totally dumb phone and a full-fledged flagship smartphone.The QWERTY Keyboard Changes EverythingThere is a second element I love about this phone. It has a QWERTY hardware keyboard. Maybe it’s because I was a Blackberry user. But either way, I love hardware keys. I prefer hardware keys to an on-screen keyboard by far. And this phone has a really well-designed QWERTY keyboard.What I did on my Minimal Phone is that I completely ditched the proprietary launcher that comes with the device and installed the old-school BlackBerry launcher instead. What this allows me to do is configure each key to perform a specific action. You can launch an app if you want, but that’s not my preferred use. My preferred use is speed dial. I put all my family members and most of my frequent contacts on speed dial. When the phone is unlocked and I press one of the hardware buttons, it makes the call. This is something I last used on the BlackBerry Key One, and it is very comfortable. Very cool.So those are the two main excellent functions of this phone. I could add a third one - a 3.5 millimeter audio jack. Old school. And since I’m using excellent wired planar magnetic headphones, I love the fact that the jack is built right in. I don’t have to use USB-C to jack dongles, which I hate.A Screen That Protects Your Eyes and Your SleepLots of people criticize this screen as poor quality. I think that’s actually a big advantage. And there’s another thing that’s good about it - the screen has a non-flickering amber front light. On e-ink screens, it’s a front light, not a backlight. So it’s amber and non-flickering. Very good for the eyes. If you have to use it at night, you can set it to a very, very low intensity amber color so it does not disrupt your circadian rhythm.I don’t really think the screen is so bad. It’s clearly not as sharp as the Bigme Hibreak Pro, of course. But hey, the whole purpose of this phone is to make you do everything you would normally do on a smartphone, but less comfortably and more slowly.* I can use all my banking apps,* I can use all my two-factor authentication apps,* I can use Obsidian which I have installed.But none of those experiences is so fluid, so magical that I want to spend time on the phone just for fun. I use it when I need to do something with it and I obviously can’t use a PC or a laptop for that.But if I had my laptop right next to me, I would for sure prefer using my laptop instead, because the phone slows me down. And that is exactly the point.What Your Kids See When They See You With Your PhoneOne additional thing that is important for me - this phone does not look like a smartphone. If my kid sees me with this, my kid knows it’s a phone, not a smartphone. And that was precisely the reason I was also using the Punkt MP02 - because it looks like a phone and not a smartphone. In our family, it’s normalized that we use phones and not smartphones. This matters more than most people think.Now, a few practical notes. There is a fair amount of ghosting on the screen. And I think that’s actually a positive. If you hate ghosting, there’s a dedicated refresh key on the side. Press it once and the ghosting is gone. Press and hold it and you get to some settings - there are three modes. The fastest mode with three triangles drops the resolution by half. There’s a mode with two triangles that uses the highest resolution for static images and automatically switches to the faster mode when something moves on the interface. But I don’t like that one because it makes the screen flicker a lot.On the power button there’s a fingerprint reader, so you can unlock it with your finger. The battery life is very good for how I use it. I’m mostly just calling and texting, and I can go five days without recharging. The Punkt MP02 was closer to three days with some Bluetooth use - sometimes just two. So five days is a pretty solid improvement. I’m not really listening to music on this phone if I can avoid it - I take my dedicated audio player with me. I mostly use the headphone jack for longer phone calls, using my headphones as a headset.Why This Matters More Than You ThinkThe Minimal Phone is not for everyone. But if you’re looking for a way to stay connected without being consumed by your device, if you want your kids to grow up seeing a phone in your hand and not a glowing rectangle that steals your attention, this is a genuinely smart choice. It lets you do what you need and nothing more.Research and Further ReadingHere are peer-reviewed studies and reputable sources related to the topics covered in this article:E-ink displays and eye health:* Rogers, R. et al. (2023). Study on the effect of displays on human retinal cells. Journal of the Society for Information Display. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. DOI: 10.1002/jsid.1191* Siegenthaler, E. et al. (2012). Reading on LCD vs e-Ink displays: Effects on fatigue and visual strain. PLoS ONE. PubMed* Maducdoc, M. et al. (2017). Visual consequences of electronic reader use: a pilot study. International Journal of Ophthalmology. PMC* Benedetto, S. et al. (2013). E-Readers and Visual Fatigue. PLoS ONE. PMCBlue light and circadian rhythm disruption:* Hatori, M. et al. (2017). Global rise of potential health hazards caused by blue light-induced circadian disruption in modern aging societies. NPJ Aging and Mechanisms of Disease. PubMed* Tähkämö, L. et al. (2019). Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm. Chronobiology International. PubMed* Haghani, M. et al. (2024). Blue Light and Digital Screens Revisited. Journal of Biomedical Physics and Engineering. PubMed* Wahl, S. et al. (2019). The inner clock - Blue light sets the human rhythm. Journal of Biophotonics. PMC* Ouyang, X. et al. (2020). Blue light disrupts the circadian rhythm and creates damage in skin cells. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. PubMed* Harvard Health Publishing (2024). Blue light has… Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

If you want to change something in your life, don’t wait for January 1st. Just change it right away. You can do it today. Start running every day, for example. It will make your life better. I’m actually running right now as I’m telling you this.A quick public service announcement: some of you were subscribed to my Digital Pragmatism Substack. I have sent one email to all of you with some secret info about a new project that I will not announce here.It’s a secret project.If you were subscribed, you will know which project it is. Please check your spam folders, because today most email goes to spam. Reply to my email or act accordingly - there is a button you have to click.Forget Goals, Set a Direction InsteadSince it’s the beginning of the year and people love to make plans and set goals, I wanted to ask you to not make plans. Don’t set goals. Actually, if you want to really set some goals, there’s a better thing to do: you can set a direction for your life.Direction is enough. If you are fairly motivated and you know you have a connection with yourself - so you pretty much know what you hate and what you like - then direction is sufficient. You will make extreme progress. Whereas if you set goals, you can be disappointed in not reaching those goals, even if the direction would be right.So I wanted to ask you not to make plans, but rather to choose one thing you will change. One thing you will do differently in 2026. This way you will have far more chances to actually reach this one thing you want to change. You are minimizing the chances of being disappointed.Welcome to the Year of Analog Productivity2026 will be the year of analog productivity, and this is what you will find here. I will tell you how I ditched my electronic devices and replaced them with paper notebooks and notepads. I will show you some of my favorite pens.This will be the leitmotif for this channel throughout the year.I will also post more interviews with people. I’ve got two of them which are being produced already. But I will also make more interviews and talk “analog” with interesting people.So, welcome. Happy 2026.Why “Use More Paper” Is the New NameNew year, new brand. But don’t worry, I will explain everything.Two months ago I was explaining to you why Amenotes is the better brand. And then, closer to one week ago, I started examining all the domains I have purchased over time. And I saw that I have an excellent domain that I completely forgot about. This domain is usemorepaper.com.Just how cool would it be to have a t-shirt with that!And then I started analyzing whether Amenotes is not a better, more fancy word. And actually came to the conclusion that no - everything I’ve been doing on this channel was leading me to saying,“Hey, use less your phone, use more paper.”I get it, of course, that there are a lot of stationery content out there. And this one will not be a stationery website (or newsletter). You can treat it as a philosophy website, maybe a lifestyle blog?I will not post reviews of notebooks. Well, I will post some of them, of course - those that I judge are excellent. But most of the time I will just share my ideas like I did until now.What’s Coming NextWhat is also very important is that with my wife we will actually in the future want to open a physical store that will sell notebooks - excellent quality Japanese notebooks and pens. And so it makes sense to rebrand as Use More Paper.New year, new brand. Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

Do you remember the video I made about the fact that I still buy CDs, vinyls, and music files like MP3s from the Apple iTunes store? What Amazon did recently is proof that I’m doing a good thing for my music library. And you should also consider doing the same - owning your stuff and not renting it from somebody, let’s say Amazon.Amazon changed its policies related to Kindle books, and from February 26, 2025, you’re not able to download the books you’ve bought on the Kindle store. You’re only able to transfer them to a Kindle device, so if you use a Boox tablet or a Kobo tablet to sideload those books, well — you’re out of luck.Of course, Amazon is doing this because the company wants to sell more Kindle devices, but you know what I mean. In the music realm:* Spotify can do the same.* Apple Music can do the same.* Tidal can do the same.You’re not the owner of your playlist.The Illusion of OwnershipIf I buy an MP3 album on the iTunes store, I own the MP3s. They are DRM-free, and I can use them anywhere I want - on my preferred digital audio player, for example. This is real ownership, not the illusion of it that streaming services provide.The fact that Amazon is making this policy change so that after a certain date, no book - even if you spent the last 10 years collecting your Kindle books - can be downloaded ever again is plain and simple stupid.It would be very bad, but it would be slightly better if they said, “Ok, for all the books purchased after February 26, 2025, you will not be able to download them,” whereas all the books you have bought in the last 10 years, you will still be able to download until the end of time. It would be a policy change with respect for the consumer - but of course, it would not push people to buy Kindle devices. So, screw the respect!Amazon is not Customer-CentricThis kind of aggressive policy change will probably push some people that are more comfort-inclined to buy a Kindle for 100 dollars and forget the change. That’s exactly what Amazon wants - to lock you into their ecosystem.I’ve seen this pattern repeat itself across digital media platforms. Companies start with consumer-friendly policies to build their user base, then gradually restrict options once they have enough market share. It’s a bait-and-switch tactic that punishes loyal customers.Remember when you could easily transfer your purchased iTunes songs to any device? Or when Kindle books could be read on practically any e-reader? These freedoms are being systematically eliminated to force consumers into walled gardens where companies have complete control.Curation and True OwnershipI’m a big believer in owning things, and I think that you don’t really need access to every book on earth and every music album on earth. It would be much better if you curate what you want to listen to, if you curate what you want to read, and then you own it.There’s something deeply satisfying about building a personal library of books or music that you’ve thoughtfully selected. It reflects your tastes, your journey, your intellectual development. When you stream everything, you own nothing, and that collection can disappear at any moment.Preferably, you own your media in such a way that you pay the artist or author the most. Because if not, those people will not make more music, they will not write additional books, they will just go to a corporation and get a job in order to pay bills.Taking Control of Your Digital LifeThe Amazon Kindle policy change should be a wake-up call for all of us. Remember: when you “buy” digital content through most platforms, you’re really just purchasing a conditional license that can be modified or revoked.For books, consider purchasing DRM-free ebooks directly from publishers. For music, look into Bandcamp or buying MP3s that don’t have usage restrictions. Yes, it might be slightly less convenient than one-click streaming, but the peace of mind is worth it.Physical media still has tremendous value too. A book on your shelf can’t be remotely deleted. A CD or vinyl record will play regardless of whether a company changes its terms of service. There’s resilience in tangibility that digital licenses simply don’t provide.Supporting Creators Through Direct OwnershipWhen you purchase directly from creators or through platforms that give them a larger cut, you’re not just securing your own access - you’re helping sustain the creative ecosystem. Streaming services typically pay fractions of pennies per play, while direct purchases provide meaningful income.Think about the future of creativity if we continue down this path of centralized control. When artists can’t make a living from their work, we all lose out on the books, music, and art that enrich our lives. Your purchasing decisions are votes for the kind of creative economy you want to see.The bottom line is simple: if you value something, own it outright if possible. Don’t trust corporations to maintain your access to the content you’ve paid for. They’ve shown time and again that their priorities can shift, leaving consumers stranded without the media they thought they owned. Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

Many parents struggle with this decision, and today, we want to discuss an organization called “Wait Until 8th” that has a powerful suggestion for parents: wait until your child is at least 14 years old before giving them a smartphone.Why 14? According to the organization and psychologist Jonathan Haidt, waiting until the end of puberty is crucial for a child’s mental health. During puberty, children have a strong need to fit in and are constantly checking in with their peers. Introducing a smartphone during this time can lead to negative effects on their mental health, as they are exposed to powerful algorithms that can provide enraging or harmful content.Even adults can struggle with the impact of smartphones and social media on their mental health. So, if it’s difficult for grown-ups, imagine how much harder it is for children going through puberty. This is why some experts, like Haidt, believe that waiting until the end of puberty is essential.However, some people argue that even 14 might be too young. They suggest waiting until a child is 21 or even avoiding smartphones altogether. So, what are the benefits of giving your child a smartphone at 14 or 15? Honestly, it’s hard to say. Some may argue that it could help them become an Instagram influencer or provide useful apps for traveling, but these benefits can be achieved through other devices that are not as addictive as smartphones.The idea behind “Wait Until 8th” is not only about delaying smartphone usage but also about creating a community of parents who support each other in this decision. By signing the online pledge and connecting with other parents from your child’s school, you can form a supportive network that ensures your child won’t be the only one without a smartphone.Recent studies have shown that the earlier a child receives a smartphone, the worse their mental health may be later in life. This means that waiting as long as possible before giving your child a smartphone is indeed a wise decision.As a parent, one of the best gifts you can give your child is good mental health. If their mental health is strong, they will be better equipped to handle conflicts, develop self-esteem, and navigate the ever-changing world.In conclusion, the “Wait Until 8th” organization suggests waiting until your child is at least 14 before giving them a smartphone. However, some believe that waiting even longer or avoiding smartphones altogether is the best approach. Ultimately, the decision is up to you as a parent, but it’s essential to consider the potential impact on your child’s mental health and well-being. Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

One important aspect of our media consumption is understanding that the platform is the message. Different platforms offer different experiences, and it's crucial to be aware of how these platforms shape the content we consume. For example, Twitter is designed for short, snappy messages, while TikTok focuses on brief videos. By recognizing the nature of each platform, we can better tailor our media consumption to our needs and preferences.Media-mix choiceOur family has made a conscious decision to avoid certain forms of media, such as TV, radio, and streaming services. We believe that these platforms are often vehicles for advertisements and news, which can be overwhelming and distracting. Instead, we prefer to make our own decisions about what to buy and what to pay attention to, based on our needs and analysis.The rule of effortWe also employ a strategy called the “rule of effort,” which involves consuming media that requires a significant amount of effort from its creators. For example, we prefer to listen to audiobooks over podcasts, as the former requires more effort to write and record. Similarly, we choose movies over series, as they generally require more effort to produce and offer a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end.A mindful experienceOur media consumption choices extend to the formats we use. For music, we prefer vinyl records and CDs, while for movies, we opt for DVDs. We find that these formats require more effort to enjoy, making the experience more intentional and meaningful. For example, listening to a vinyl record involves taking it out of its sleeve, placing it on the turntable, and carefully positioning the needle, all of which contribute to a more immersive and mindful experience.What media do we consume?When it comes to watching movies, we avoid streaming services and instead choose DVDs. This allows us to have control over our movie selection, without being influenced by algorithms or suggestions. We find that this approach leads to less time spent scrolling through options and more time enjoying the movies we truly want to watch.Shaping the environmentOur environment plays a significant role in shaping our media consumption habits. By creating a space that encourages intentional media consumption, we can better focus on the quality of our experiences. For example, we use a projector to watch movies, providing a more immersive and theater-like experience.Friction and coping mechanismsWe also avoid using media as a coping mechanism for life’s challenges. By creating friction in our media consumption process, such as the ritual of choosing and playing a DVD, we prevent ourselves from mindlessly turning to media for distraction or comfort.A beginning and a clearly defined endingFurthermore, our media consumption habits are designed to respect our time and avoid stealing it away. By choosing media with a clear beginning, middle, and end, we can better manage our time and avoid the trap of binge-watching or endless scrolling.In conclusion, our family’s approach to media consumption is centered around intentionality, effort, and control. By making mindful choices about the platforms, formats, and content we consume, we can enhance the quality of our experiences and maintain a healthy relationship with media. We encourage you to consider your own media consumption habits and explore ways to make them more intentional and meaningful. Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

The Challenge of Digital ParentingIn today’s world, parenting has become a digital battlefield. We face the dilemma of whether to raise our children as digital minimalists or risk them becoming technologically backward. The truth is, it’s not about being afraid of technology; it’s about managing its influence on our kids’ lives.We often see parents giving smartphones to their children, not out of necessity, but because it’s the default. It’s an easy way to keep them occupied while we handle our own tasks. But this unintentional decision can lead to long-term consequences, including technology addiction and social isolation.A Shift in NormsImagine a future where giving a smartphone to a child is as frowned upon as giving them alcohol. As awareness grows about the negative impacts of unrestricted technology access, we believe there will be a significant shift in societal norms. Just as laws regulate alcohol and tobacco for minors, we foresee similar regulations for smartphone usage among children.Parents will soon realize that the constant flow of notifications and the addictive nature of apps are designed to exploit our attention. This realization will drive a movement towards more mindful and intentional use of technology in parenting.Intentional Technology UseBeing a digital minimalist doesn’t mean rejecting technology altogether. It means using it intentionally, as a tool to enhance learning and creativity, rather than as a default babysitter. For example, showing children how to use a desktop computer for research or creative projects can be beneficial, unlike giving them a smartphone loaded with addictive apps.We can draw parallels with how technology has evolved in other fields. When Prince recorded his first album, he didn’t have the luxury of an iPad with multi-track recording capabilities. He had to navigate through gatekeepers and studios. Today, technology has democratized music production, but it requires intentional use to harness its full potential.The Dangers of Unrestricted AccessSmartphones, unlike dedicated tools, come with a plethora of distractions. They are designed to keep users engaged, often at the cost of productivity and mental health. This is why it’s crucial to set boundaries and teach children the importance of using technology as a tool, not as a crutch.Gaming, for instance, is often touted as a gateway to tech careers. However, it can also be an entry point to addiction. While it may foster some technical skills, it often limits real-world social interactions and practical knowledge. Encouraging children to balance online activities with offline experiences is key.Building Real-World SkillsWe must emphasize the importance of real-world interactions and skills. Children learn best through hands-on experiences and face-to-face communication. By limiting screen time and encouraging outdoor play, we help them develop essential life skills that technology alone cannot provide.It’s about creating an environment where children can thrive without being tethered to screens. This means providing them with opportunities to explore, create, and interact with the world around them. It also means being role models in our own use of technology.Setting BoundariesAs parents, it’s our responsibility to set rules and boundaries around technology use. This might mean no screens before school or limiting gaming to certain hours. By establishing these guidelines, we help our children develop a healthy relationship with technology.We also need to be aware of the subtle ways technology can infiltrate our lives. Notifications, for example, are designed to grab our attention and keep us coming back. By turning off unnecessary notifications and being mindful of our own screen time, we can set a positive example for our children.The Role of Single-Use DevicesOne effective strategy is to use single-use devices. For instance, giving a child a dedicated camera instead of a smartphone can foster creativity without the distractions of social media and games. This approach helps children focus on the task at hand and develop specific skills.Our daughter’s experience with a manual camera is a perfect example. Without the option to take selfies, she focuses on capturing meaningful moments and developing her photography skills. This contrasts sharply with peers who use smartphones primarily for social validation.The Community FactorThe type of community our children are part of also plays a crucial role. By not giving them smartphones, we steer them towards peers who engage in more offline activities. This can lead to richer, more meaningful social interactions and a stronger sense of community.It’s about shaping the environment to support our parenting goals. If we want our children to value real-world experiences, we need to surround them with like-minded individuals and provide opportunities for offline engagement.The Future of Digital MinimalismLooking ahead, we believe that digital minimalism will become a mainstream parenting approach. As awareness of the negative impacts of technology grows, more parents will adopt intentional tech use. This shift will not only benefit our children but also society as a whole.We must remember that technology is a tool, not a master. By using it wisely and teaching our children to do the same, we can harness its benefits without falling prey to its pitfalls. It’s about finding a balance that promotes healthy development and real-world skills.ConclusionIn conclusion, raising children as digital minimalists doesn’t mean depriving them of technology. It means using technology intentionally and mindfully, ensuring it serves a purpose rather than becoming a default distraction. By setting boundaries, encouraging real-world interactions, and being role models in our own tech use, we can help our children develop a healthy relationship with technology.Thank you for joining us on this journey towards more mindful parenting. Let’s work together to create a future where technology enhances our lives without controlling them. Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

We fear that they may struggle to communicate openly and genuinely with others, leading to a society where meaningful connections are increasingly rare. This is why we have made the decision not to give our daughters smartphones, comparing this choice to decisions made about alcohol, drugs, or other addictive and highly regulated forms of entertainment.Recent studies have linked depression and poor mental health among teenagers to smartphone use, particularly iPhones and social media platforms like Instagram. This app, which encourages users to showcase their lives and compare themselves to others, can be especially damaging to girls' self-esteem and body image. By not giving our daughters smartphones, we hope to avoid these issues and direct them towards healthier peer groups and interests.Peer group?We recognize that our decision may lead to challenges, such as explaining to our children why they do not have smartphones when many of their peers do. However, we believe that there are multiple peer groups available, and by not providing our children with smartphones, we are guiding them towards a group that shares their values and interests. Just as we had the choice to avoid drugs, alcohol, or certain types of passtimes in our youth, our children can also choose their peer groups based on their preferences and values.For those who may already be dealing with smartphone addiction in their children, it’s essential to remember that it’s never too late to address the issue. We suggest talking to your child about how smartphones are designed to grab their attention and asking them how they feel after using social media or other apps. Watch documentaries like “The Social Dilemma” together and discuss the content, helping them understand the potential consequences of their actions.In cases of severe addiction, seeking professional help may be necessary. However, we believe that by setting a positive example in our own technology use and engaging our children in physical activities and real-world experiences, we can help them develop a healthier relationship with technology.More offline activitiesAs our daughters grow older, we plan to involve them in activities such as Scouts and volunteer work to encourage them to spend more time outside of the virtual world. This approach is supported by experts like Cal Newport, who recommend engaging in more physical, real-world activities to help detox from technology and determine which aspects of technology are genuinely beneficial to our lives.We also believe it’s essential to engage with other parents and our local community to discuss these issues and share our experiences. While it may be challenging to convince others to make significant changes in their lives, we can at least try to raise awareness and encourage more face-to-face interaction among families.It’s up to you - consider yourself warnedUltimately, the decision to give a child a smartphone or not lies with each family. However, we hope that by sharing our thoughts and experiences, we can spark interest and encourage others to consider the potential consequences of smartphone use among teenagers.In conclusion, we believe that addressing phone addiction among teenagers is a vital issue that requires attention on both individual and collective levels. By making informed decisions as parents and engaging with our communities, we can work together to create a healthier, more connected society for our children and future generations.Links:* Stephanie Gruner Buckley, “My daughter was a creative genius, and then we bought her an iPhone” — https://medium.com/modern-parent/my-daughter-was-a-creative-genius-then-we-bought-her-an-iphone-bf617c0b6ca0* Center for Human Technology, “The Social Dillemma” — https://www.humanetech.com/the-social-dilemma* Cal Newport “Digital Minimalism” — https://www.calnewport.com/books/digital-minimalism/ Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe

Like an old NokiaOur experiment began when we decided to switch from smartphones to dumb phones, inspired by the Punkt MP01 design, reminiscent of the old Nokia phones we used as students. At first, the transition was uncomfortable and painful, as we had grown accustomed to the convenience and features of our smartphones. However, we soon learned that living without a smartphone was, in fact, much easier than we anticipated.One of us, a busy mother of two, recognized the symptoms of smartphone addiction in her life, such as sleep deprivation and constant distraction from notifications. The switch to a dumb phone forced her out of her comfort zone and made her more aware of her dependence on technology. Despite the initial anger and frustration, she eventually found a middle ground with the Unihertz Titan Pocket, which provided some useful features without the addictive properties of a smartphone.More talking, less textingWe discovered that using a dumb phone made us appreciate talking to people more, as the phone didn’t allow for easy texting. We found that we would hide behind technology if given the chance, and the dumb phone helped us expand our social capabilities.We both tried going back to smartphones at different points, only to find ourselves slipping back into old habits and addiction patterns. This realization led us to believe that short technological detoxes are not enough to break the cycle of addiction. Instead, using a dumb phone for an extended period can help identify the root causes of our discomfort and dependence on technology.Balance and privacyThrough this experience, we learned that we could find a balance between the need for certain smartphone features and the desire to live a simpler, less addictive lifestyle. For example, one of us found that a minimalistic Android-based phone, like the Unihertz Titan Pocket, was the perfect middle ground.While we understand that the privacy concerns regarding data collection by Android and other smartphone operating systems are important, our focus in this experiment was primarily on breaking free from the addictive nature of smartphones.In conclusion, our journey with dumb phones has been an eye-opening experience that has taught us valuable lessons about our relationship with technology. We’ve learned that it is possible to find a balance between convenience and simplicity, and that breaking free from smartphone addiction requires more than just a temporary detox. As we continue to explore unconventional choices and anti-cultural lifestyles, we hope to inspire others to question their dependence on technology and seek a more fulfilling way of life. Get full access to Use More Paper at usemorepaper.com/subscribe