We The People

I’m herby invoking a new goal (and no, you cannot call it a resolution because it’s pretty much February) which involves me reaching for my iPhone approx 372 times less per day. Not because I don’t appreciate this slick brick of technology – I do – I couldn’t do diddly-squat without it. But immediate access to every kind of information also has some pretty obvious downsides.

For one, the distraction when working is so real, and as King of Procrastination (brb just going to make a cup of tea) I really don’t need to check Twitter on my phone whilst simultaneously tending to emails on my computer.

I’ve also noticed that often I head somewhere I’ve been to twice before, and I don’t intuitively know how to get there. Google Maps led the way so I didn’t bother to store the (useful) information in my brain.

Plus there’s the obvious effect of phone-in-your-face-syndrome which I can’t help but notice afflicts 80% of the population under 35. Self-awareness is a positive attribute; it’s nice to be aware of what’s going on around you (and not walk into others).

So in my quest to loosen the grip on my phone, I have (somewhat late to the game) embraced the smart watch. I’m aware of the irony – aiming to be less technology dependent by wearing a watch called the Connected. But there’s a method to my madness. The Skagen Connected watch is linked to my iPhone via bluetooth without being too invasive. The watch vibrates whenever I get a Whatsapp message, tweet or email, alerting me when it actually makes sense to check my phone.

I’ll report back on this little experiment; time will tell whether I’ll maintain more of a hands-free lifestyle, or whether I’ll succumb to the dark side, with my phone glued to my palm.

Created in collaboration with Skagen