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How I Work

Quick Win: How to dumb down your phone with Ryan Shelton

Jul 10, 2024
Comedian Ryan Shelton traded his iPhone for a flip-phone, feeling smug and experiencing increased creativity and clarity. He later modified his iPhone to reduce distractions. Topics include the benefits of using a basic phone and adjusting to life without constant connectivity.
06:04

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Switching to a flip phone increased creativity and clarity of thought.
  • Resetting iPhone to essential tools helped minimize distractions and enhance productivity.

Deep dives

Benefits of Using a 'Smug Phone'

After switching from an iPhone to a flip phone with limited functionality, Ryan Shelton noticed a significant improvement in his creativity and clarity of thought. He found that the absence of constant digital distractions allowed him to generate more creative ideas and appreciate in-person interactions. Despite the advantages, Shelton eventually returned to the iPhone due to the inconvenience of messaging on the flip phone, feeling disconnected from others. To replicate the benefits of the 'smug phone' experience, he reset his iPhone to factory settings, removed unnecessary apps, and only retained essential tools without any entertainment features.

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