Catherine Price, author of 'How to Break Up With Your Phone,' shares her insights on breaking free from smartphone addiction. She discusses how our devices fragment our attention, impacting mental health and relationships. Price highlights the addictive design of smartphones and the psychological effects of constant engagement, drawing parallels with gambling. She emphasizes balancing digital life and in-person connections, advocating for mindful use of technology. Price's journey leads to a more joyful and connected existence, inspiring listeners to reevaluate their own device habits.
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Drew's News Breakup
Drew Stinecki, obsessed with the 2024 election news, felt overwhelmed after the results.
He turned off news notifications and experienced a quieter mind, focusing on his community.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Catherine's Inspiration
Catherine Price, author of "How to Break Up With Your Phone," realized her phone distracted her from her newborn.
This inspired her to research phone relationships and write a book to help others regain control.
insights INSIGHT
Smartphones Fragment Attention
Smartphones fragment our attention, impacting deep thinking, connection, and real-world enjoyment.
Constant distractions hinder memory formation and make real life less stimulating.
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In this book, Catherine Price makes the case that 'True Fun'—defined as the combination of playfulness, connection, and flow—is crucial for our well-being. She weaves together scientific research and personal experience to reveal the mental, physical, and cognitive benefits of fun. The book provides a practical, personalized plan to help readers achieve better screen/life balance and incorporate more fun into their lives without feeling overwhelmed. Price argues that by prioritizing True Fun, individuals can become happier, healthier, more productive, and less stressed, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling life.
The 2024 election pushed some people to put down their phones more and tune out of the news. But author Catherine Price started thinking about breaking up with her phone years ago, after realizing she was focusing on it instead of her newborn daughter.
“Our devices and their apps are designed to fragment our attention, whether it is taking us out of our real-life experience and getting us to focus our attention even momentarily on the phone itself or it's what we do within apps where we are looking at different pieces of content in a particular feed,” Price told “Post Reports” co-host Elahe Izadi.
After realizing how detrimental her phone was to her life, she wrote “How to Break Up With Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life.” The book details the negative impact our phones can have on our attention and mental health and provides advice for how to create a healthier relationship with them.
“It really has made me feel more alive,” Price said. “It encouraged me to ask questions that have resulted in me tapping into this broader community of people I never would have met and discovering this joy.”
Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair.
You can find more writing by Price at her Substack here.
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