Helpful technology
One of the big reasons technology, automation, and robots can be so helpful is because they minimize friction. They make it easier to get repetitive tasks done. As a user or beneficiary, it takes less effort to complete these repetitive tasks.
For most people, the technology they use most often resides in their smartphone. That phone has become so smart that the smartphone’s primary use is no longer making phone calls. It’s not that people can no longer go without having the option to call or text for a few hours or days; it’s the navigation, music, unlimited access to (social) media, and anything on the internet that they can no longer seem to function without.
Have you ever noticed that you spend more time staring at your screen than you would like to? Has somebody ever had to alert you that you missed something happening around you because you were fixed on your smartphone? Are you doing tasks (like paying, emailing, watching movies) on a tiny screen that can be done more efficiently with a different card, on a different device with a bigger screen, or with more computing power? All these examples would mean that the technology of your smartphone is hijacking your attention.
This technology should work for you, not against you.
Therefore, people set their screens to a grayscale instead of vibrant colors. We delete or hide our most time-consuming apps. People lock their phones in a box for a set time or schedule a day a week to be offline. We minimize notifications and hope that summoning all our willpower will get that screen time down from 4 to 5 hours a day to the hour or so that is actually useful. How easy is this, and how long has that strategy worked for you?
All these changes set out to do one thing: to add friction and effort to something that is designed to be as frictionless and attention-demanding as possible.
Want a simple and effective solution? Try this: Put a rubber band or hairband around your smartphone*.
The band is an elegant way of adding friction to everything you can imagine doing with your smartphone.
Want to slide the phone out of your pocket or purse? The band adds friction and makes this a bit harder, allowing you to consider if this is really what you want to be doing right now.
Want to type a text? The band adds friction; you can still type, but you must work your way around and with the band.
Want to pick up your phone and make a call? The band adds friction; you will feel that your device's touch is altered around its center. Besides, there’s now no smooth surface but a surface with a band pressed against your ear and cheek.
If you get frustrated or angry because that stupid little band is hindering what you automatically would like to do most at the moment, don't blame the band. You, my friend, have lost a bit of your free will and control over your attention and time.
Check your screen time after a few days. If the band made you change the number of times you pick up your phone, the amount of time you spend on it, or the amount of attention you have for the people and things around you, you’d better keep it there.
Of course, I am not the one who came up with a solution this elegant and simple. I first picked it up from Catherine Price
