"I TURNED MY PHONE OFF FOR A YEAR" - Richard Simon | #22
About this episode
Richard Simon discusses his experience of turning off his smartphone for a year and its impact on mental health and focus.
You feel scattered, disconnected, or unmotivated isn’t because you’re lazy... but because your phone has hijacked your brain?In this episode, we dive deep into the hidden addiction nobody talks about enough—your smartphone. Richard Simon turned his phone off for an entire year. Why? Because it was quietly wrecking his focus, relationships, and sense of peace. We explore the real impact smartphones have on mental health, why 75 full days a year are wasted on screen time, and how modern life normalizes something that’s deeply unnatural—being always available. You’ll learn how to tell if you’re addicted, why most “hacks” like screen time limits don’t work, and what it really takes to reclaim your mind. Richard shares powerful strategies from his book Unplug, including the “Off by Default” method and how to build an environment where focus thrives. By the end, you’ll walk away with a blueprint to reset your relationship with technology, protect your focus, and start living like you mean it again. Richard Simon directs the website strategy at Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C., and is a former reporter and webmaster at Baltimore’s The Daily Record. He lives in Baltimore with his wife…
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