Hi everyone; This was such a fun experiment. Should I make more videos like this? Also, check out Clearspace, it would mean a lot to me :) clear-space.app.link/nate

I skipped KZfaq for six weeks and I got so much more done in life. Thinking of doing that again. Live life, instead of watching other people living there lives.

I just recently finished a similar experiment in my own life, but instead of not using my phone it was not using social media or watching KZfaq or Netflix. After 2 weeks, I feel SO MUCH BETTER! My anxiety is way down. Feeling calm & relaxed is way up. And I have been more productive in these 2 weeks than I've been in the last 2 years. I'm never going back.

I feel guilty for watching thus video on my phone lol

I've been working on this same experiment since 1974, and I must say it's going great - I have lived my entire life without a cell phone. I love walking about the world being more aware of my surrounding and genuinely engaged with those around me. I strongly encourage it for those who can pull it off. Cell phone are not as essential as so many would like to think they are. I access the internet on a laptop for work and for personal communication a few times a day; I don't need to be plugged in to everything all the time, and I like not being on a digital leash.

I was born in 1955. I embrace technology and love it! I use it extensively and well. But......I also remember decades of living without immediate access to a phone. I remember as a kid riding my bike all around town and just being out on my own. I remember if I needed a phone simply finding a pay phone or going into a business and asking if I could use their phone to call home. I remember wondering about things and making the effort to look them up in the library. I remember learning to use maps and asking for directions. I remember carrying a book with me for waiting rooms and other times. (In fairness, I still do this as i read about 3-5 books a week.). Last year I did the social experiment of leaving my phone intentionally at home. It was good. I enjoyed it to the point where when I travelled to Europe I left my phone at home. That appalled my friends but I found it enjoyable. Do I still carry and use my phone? Of course! Did I reduce my time? Absolutely. I went from 4+ hours a day to less than 2 hours on average. Balance in life adds joy.

I really love how you transform hours into years. It's crazy... like 15 years of doing nothing (at least half of that)

I wait until 12:00 pm every weekday to check any news, KZfaq, or social media sites. It's a small change that's had a huge impact on my productivity and overall mood on workdays.

Noting that this experiment won’t realistically be able to be replicated in our near future is kind of terrifying.

Im on month 2 of no social media. (I don’t really count youtube as social media. It feels amazing. No gossip lol, no BS. Just what matters in life. I use my time to read. Ive read 4 books, and gone out so much.. 🥰

Young man, I have lived 70 years without a smart phone and intend to keep it that way because I don't like what the addiction does to people, - and it is now recognised as an addiction - and that includes those my own age. Only this week I saw that there are circa 3000 road deaths in the USA attributed to cell phone use. The reality is, smart phones are making people weak, feeble minded, dependent and mentally ill but perhaps what is most scary is that they are the perfect instrument of control of the masses. You mentioned cash going - if cash is replaced by digital currency then the powers that be have total control over your life. Here in the UK there is a push back against getting rid of cash as more people are beginning to realise what it means. When I was your age, there was much worry about sublimation on tv i.e. a single frame o propaganda inserted into a broadcast that the conscious mind doesn't register, but the subconscious mind does. Smart phones don't have the same regulation as tv did.

It makes me so sad to possibly think that I will not be able to live without a phone in 10 years. I have been struggling with social media addiction ever since I was 11 years old and now that I'm 15, I am realizing how bad this is for us. I have been constantly trying to get out of this loop, but it makes me somewhat hopeless to think that it will be a necessity in the future. I really don't know what to do anymore

The phone itself is neutral. Social media is the problem.

I knew someone who still used an original flip phone to this day. The phone company finally forced him to upgrade because they were cutting off the cell service upgrading to 5G. I respect this guy for going that long.

Love that you practically try things yourself and share with us, Nate! I agree that irritation and anxiety arise from phone usage. No social media apps on the phone is a game changer for me, also just doing more things to forget you even have a phone - time in nature, camping, time with loved ones!

Hi @NateOBrien I am going to do this experiment this next month. Living on the road this last year and half I totally understand what you mean when you say "allowing yourself to be bored." There's a certain bliss in not refreshing, scrolling, and consuming content and searching your subconscious instead. Cheers for the inspo mate!

I have stopped using my phone as much because I decided to replace my digital planner with a physical one. I honestly prefer it because it creates a clearer headspace for me. As for meeting up with friends and what not, I have come to memorize my city pretty well. Unless I am traveling to a completely new area, I would be on the fence of not having a phone in case an emergency arises😅 As always, great video Nate!

Improving my productivity was in my head before but you’ve helped me a lot with that, also with previous videos :3 I love them, please make more

Really enjoyed hearing your reflections Nate! I took a break from my smartphone in 2021-2022 and it changed my perspective entirely!

This young person is very smart. He has realised something a lot of us need to relearn...The number of people walking around with the focus totally on their phone is hazardous to their own safety. We have really lost sight of what's important.

One time i didn't use my phone for 11+ hours (6:00-19:00) and spent that time reading books,playing board games and talking to my family and i still do it and now i really love reading books and spending time studying❤❤❤

I've really missed your videos like this!! You help me reflect on areas of my life that I could improve.

Loved this video - so much genuine insight about a very interesting topic! Thank you for sharing your experience with this experiment. I'm a 90's kid myself, so I also grew up as technology {specifically cell phones} evolved at an insanely rapid rate. Though there are most certainly many blessings that come along with these evolvements, sometimes it can be difficult to completely disconnect... especially from social media platforms. Your life in the outdoors looks so dreamy and therapeutic. Wishing you well!

Good for you. I'm proud of you. It makes me happy to see people break free from phone addiction.

I've gotten more out of this video than any other one you have ever done. I AM addicted to youtube videos. I am going to try staying off of it. Congratulations for making it to two weeks! I like that you said it's good to be bored. Thank you!

Love your videos, so helpful. So refreshing to see someone your age understand the importance of and to live a simpler life! Where were you vacationing here? Beautiful area!

I remember reading something like "Imagine if Benjamin Franklin had had Twitter. Would he have invented all these things?" I try very hard to not be on my phone! But I still get about 2 hours a day which is still too much for me... it's 14h less of working on my goals! I always do good for a while and then go back to my old ways. The 15 years thing was really shocking. Really eye opening video!

It's refreshing to see someone so young be so opened minded and thinking about how precious life really is... good for you and may God bless you. Noticing what goes on around you when you haven't got your phone is what life was like all the time before these 'life stealers' were invented.

Getting to hear your perspective on this as a content creator myself is super helpful. I've found my screen time drastically increasing now that KZfaq is my full-time job, but that isn't because I'm only spending more time doing productive things... in fact, it's the opposite. I feel like having this job grants me too much forgiveness for myself on the amount of time I spend on my phone, so using apps like ClearSpace and turning my phone on grayscale is something I need to implement more as I used to do in the past. Great video as always man!

Great video, I love that your addressing this big problem. Have you considered using only an apple watch or smartwatch? A few KZfaqrs (Matt Davella is who I am thinking of) have done videos experimenting using the watch only. Gives you the true essentials like navigation and communication but takes away a ton of the distraction because of the small screen. May be different for those who use social media for the careers but it is a great idea

I sure hope we don't have a future where all we use is our phones to pay 💀 I'm such a cash oriented person I only use credit cards for really expensive stuff. There's something about holding cash and handing it off when paying where it makes me a lot more frugal than when my money is a formless number in a digital format. If we go full on digital currency, it won't be tangible anymore and that's scary to me.

Excellent as always. I thoroughly enjoy your vlogs

That’s my favorite typa video, that’s why I like you bro, I’m finna try this, much love

I really appreciate that you tried this because it's almost a bygone era to be phone free. (As mentioned). I work with older adults (85+) and many of them are far more social and openly curious about everything than younger people. Some do NOT want to use Google, they just Really want to speak to a person who is knowledgeable enough to share their skills and actually engage. With my cohorts, We focus on trying to answer Everything with our phones. I'm going to miss this last of The Greatest Generation group. Heck, I already do.

Hi Nate, I really enjoy and agree with your viewpoint on this issue. People walk around like brainless zombies staring at their smartphones and trying to fit every function into every second of their day! People need to have a little time where they are a little bored, think and meditate. It's nice to go to a park and smell the flowers and listen to the birds and frogs. I have a landline and a flip phone and have never owned a smartphone, and watching the way people use them, I don't want to buy one. The people in our society suffer from information overload, they have to know everything at that very second and they don't have the patience to wait a little bit.

Fantastic video. I really love using the locking cookie jar to reduce phone use. Another tool I've used has been getting a Nokia 3310 so that I can still get and make calls when I'm out and about without having to bring my smartphone. I think this is an area that we will all have to work on at some point if we want to get anywhere particularly impressive.

Switched to a dumbphone 2 months ago and it was a life-changing experience

thanks Nate! Clear Space is great.

Before smartphones you didn't need little notebooks because you were able to remember your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. If you wanted to fill the time you'd visit with others or read a newspaper or magazine. The "downtime" wasn't as common is you'd think.

I love how incredible u can explain things, thank you ❤️❤️

Excellent video!! I needed this 🙏🏼

I grew up when mobiles didn't exist yet. I can say that the mobile makes you less extroverted, so well done on this experiment.

The way nate explains i cant fail on my tests its so clear and intresting

Best video on KZfaq!! Love this!

I haven't watched the videos in a while. It's awesome that you're still making great content. Where did you move to? Looks like we got beautiful mountains and landscapes in a pretty secluded environment. My wife and I are going to be looking for something similar as soon as life allows.

Backpacked 4 months through Europe without a computer or a phone. Was amazing. Then another time went one month without a phone and used Skype on my computer for business meetings or calls with Mom. The phone addiction is real and you’re right in a few years it won’t be possible to live day to day without a phone from banking to transportation. Sucks.

We can't escape smartphones. It's just the way things are now and will be going forward from now on. However you can navigate around them. It's about learning how to use them with intentionality. As a tool instead of a source of entertainment. Don't get me wrong, you can have fun with them, but you have to train yourself to not waste too much time on it when it’s just for fun. Personally, I have rules, like setting specific times and days when I can access social media; For me it's on Sundays, I use a kitchen timer, 30 minutes to catch up on all social media apps ( including KZfaq) once the time is up, I delete the apps and use it on weekdays as normal phone for calls and text only. I do keep some useful apps like GPS and weather. I also don't bring phones to the bedroom, leave it charging in another room and use an old school alarm clock instead. and of course, no phones while watching movies, hanging out with friends or at dinner with family. It seems complex, but you get used to placing boundaries and rules to how you use technology.

I Just quit social media after years ,indulging myself in reading books now . This was good video to resonate with ❤

Makes me curious if we put phones down more that we could restore our attention spans. The few times over the last few years that I forgot my phone I was engrossed in the little stories going on in the world around me. A bit terrifying and remarkable all at once.

When I turn off my phone I feel like my brain lifts I’m always overwhelmed but when I turn off my phone I feel better. Thank you for putting this out there. ❤ I hope it spreads. ❤ I deleted my Hulu account and bought a $20 DVD player, and I realized how much I love weird old movies like trash horror and surreal stuff from the 80’s and classics from the 70’s. Like Gattica “I saved nothing for the swim back”. Instead of watching B list or C or D list nothing movies and shows I’m just watching movies as a deeply enriching experience. I am tired of all the tech sometimes and I’ve wanted to get a turn table and using records, don’t call me a hipster but vinyls feels good. Also, religious people have observed a sabbat for this reason you’re talking about. You work to make a living but you have to stop to make a life

Man is back with a Banger🔥

Born in 1982. Seen the birth of the bulky cell phone, to the flip phone to the smart phone. While my phone is great for gps (no more bulky garmin) paying bills ( not going in peron or mailing checks) and a mobile encyclopedia. The negatives outweigh the positives. Gonna try and use my phone less and start reading more and writing and actually doing stuff. Great video bro!!!

My favorite video of yours was about how you stopped your phone addiction from 3 years ago, safe to say this is a great successor to that video :)

I’m 21 and have never had traditional social media. The only thing I have is KZfaq which I’m planning to delete now because the shorts function has been occupying my time too much. I will say that I do not suffer with anxiety or depression even though it runs in my family. I had anxiety when I was a lot younger but it was a phase I got through. I’ve never had a depressive phase. Maybe it’s the lack of social media usage, maybe not. I’m a woman and I’ve also never had body image issues. I’ve never dieted. It’s not that I don’t have insecurities, I do, but I’ve never actually had issues with food and disordered eating like most women seem to. I think a lot of this is due to limiting the unrealistic images I saw growing up.

Love your content. Thanks for your advice. Phone in black and white now. Love your energy ❤

i've been wondering for a few years of trying go all out on internet for a whole year, this experiment just hyped me for it, cause seen hard as hell

2 weeks is pretty good for a 90s kid from the western world .. 👍👍👍 I’m from the 80s.. born and grew up a little in the Eastern part of the world .. I grew up without cellphones or even a landline Nice experiment… before I used to take my phone outside in my backyard in the evenings .. nowadays I don’t .. it disturbs whatever I’m doing outside .. then I get all these missed calls and questions from people “where were you? Blah blah “ .. I tell them that’s my time outside .. maybe I’m working with plants and soil and won’t be able to touch the phone ..

It's frightening how dependent we have become on phones. They are no longer tools, we are becoming the tools.

Hi nate, i saw your videos about minimalism and was wondering if you're still living that kind of lifestyle? I think it would be great to see your new apartment/home setup and your general thoughts about it now. Thanks and noce videos!

Def groundbreaking stuff when you break it down. Much love

Great video, super important topic. My best work comes after extended breaks from the phone

It freaked me out seriously.. we are wasting 15 to 20 years just watching phone. And the rest 20 hours in sleeping. Man you were a eye opener !!!. I am into day 3 of NO phone challenge and i will not keep it till 30 days but will continue for life long. Loved your videos.

Thank you Nate, you’ve really had an impact on my life

Thanks Nate! This was great!

Its scary to think just how easy it is to get addicted to phones like all these social media companies spending millions of dollars researching on new ways to increase the retention time on their platforms ( Instagram with reels , YT with shorts , Netflix and prime with autoplay etc etc) Its harder than ever to escape this void of never ending content..Then comes the FOMO its like you can't even live a minute without people around you trying to guilt you for not watching some stupid show on Netflix...

I've never had a phone, so I know it's possible to go more than two weeks without a phone - I've done it all my life.

This was definitely thought provoking. I know We use them a lot but it hits different when you mention the years we can lose to them.

I love that this is a great way to promote products and services centered around the smartphone.

Hey people always talk about how they miss the 2000s, maybe we just miss the idle state of mind. limit your phone usage to 1hour a day, it will feel like the 2000s.

It's interesting because a lot of people I talk to have the same outlook. They have become more anxious, paranoid, and distracted as a result of our increased dependency on technology. Maybe we will all find our way back to thinking for ourselves, truly learning about topics we find interesting and exploring the world with a deeper sense of curiosity to live more meaningful and fulfilling lives. As Seneca says... "It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it."

I have tried these experiments many times and failed in very short order. This video is inspiring me to give it another try.

Great video, thanks for the encouragement! I'm considering trying something similar as a LOT of my excessive screen time is playing games and then poking ads to get free game tokens. That can go on ALL day if I let it! Or checking social media posts etc. which are mostly nonsense but sometimes a good way to connect with people. Do you play any games or use social media? Is so, any tips for limiting exposure? 🙂

Much respect for this Nate. The best I can do is the digital detox I did last year. I was able to cut down my use to less than 5 hours a day.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

It's sad you've never known a life without a phone. As a Gen X I hate that I am so reliant on mine, I miss the freedom. Sometimes I leave the house without it, go for a walk, it's so freeing.

this video was so helpfulll please make more content like this

Guilt. One of the feelings associated with being manipulated. Fear, guilt and obligation. Don't think I'll look at social media in the same light again. Thank you

I'm doing it for whole my life (I'll be 23 soon), and people don't understand how I could go out without phone, but for me it's mainly because I just want to have a quality communication with people and also I don't want to carry it in my pocket. I mean, I use it sometimes, but macbook is my main device

As Nate says “It’s good to be bored. It’s good to have downtime” within the day to just think 🤔. This is easier said than done because we’re addicted to several apps on the phone but you can stop using the apps and use only what you really need. Give it a try, go on, experience life without a smartphone 📱.

Great video! Very on point!

Thanks Nate, I trust you so much that I already subscribed just to be able to add more apps where I mindlessly scroll and waste time and, money. Now I have only 10 mins time allowed on YT so I need to type fast 😅 I am addicted, that is the sad truth and I have a 15 year old daughter that I should be a role model to. Let’s begin this new phase. Thanks again! 😊

Becoming phone free sounds awesome, but watching this video I realized that my phone is necessary for my safety as a woman: location sharing, access to emergency services, and even the ability to be on the phone with someone on a walk.

Thanks for this Nate 👍

Great video. Thank you very much for the inspiration. I'm finding ways how to reduce my screen time step by step right now to absolute minimum and it already feels so good. Gotta try this experiment and really relax from the digital pollution one day 🙂💯

When I was 24, I was put into a 51/50 where everything I had was confiscated - including my phone. I was phoneless for 82 hours, but it was the best 82 hours of my life. My mind felt clear-minded, and it felt like I was able to process things without having a migraine about it. I would definitely recommend avoiding your phone for a while so that your mind rests well

"96% of the human population didn‘t use phones in their lives". Yes, but at that time everyone else didn't use a phone either. I also tried this experiment a few times in the past. Although for me it was great, the biggest problem was that everyone else kept using their phones. Meetings with friends therefore become difficult and often don't happen because no one uses the old ways of communication anymore. If you also have to communicate by phone for work, you really have a problem. Nevertheless, I recommend everyone to try this, at least for a few days if it’s possible. You become more aware of the world around you and feel less driven. I promise you! :) Thanks Nate for the great content as always. You have inspired me to put my phone away again for the next while as well.

Good job young man. I also fast my phone once in a while. I just leave it at home a couple of days per week. Liberating.

This is very insightful! Would love to try this experiment, but i cant do that rn. I'll instead try to reduce my phone time to maybe 1 or 2 hours! I wish clearspace was also available for android users.

Two weeks is really admirable! Even the idea of two days seems really hard to me. Yes I think most people are addicted to their phones it’s terrible that companies make them to be addictive and hyper-convenient

I downgraded to a dumb phone but upgraded my life! Look towards buying a phone like Punkt MP02 or The Light Phone - worth every penny, though in an increasingly smartphone enabled world it’s incredibly difficult to fully commit to completely leaving smartphones altogether.

Great video Nate. ClearSpace has been a game changer

Interesting experience and video! Thanks for that

Honestly, using your phone is fine. Just don't use social media and entertainment apps on it. Using it exclusively for improving your day-to-day such as transport, maps etc. is completely fine and mandatory even.

It’s difficult because I use my phone for banking, email, weather, google calendar, audible, maps, my job, side hustles, etc. It’s definitely a balance between productivity and entertainment. But then again, for me, my phone is my main source of entertainment, haha, Netflix KZfaq etc.

How did we manage before cell/mobiles phones? Well....We just did! I never go shopping with mine. Great stuff Nat. 👍

Much respect for this Nate. The best I can do is the digital detox I did last year. I was able to cut down my use to less than 5 hours a day.

Finally … another video from Nate 😀

paradox: you need to use ur phone in order to use ur phone less thats just the world we are living in P.S. great video Nate! Been watching you since like 2k19, thanks for inspirational thoughts

I work for the railroad and anytime we are on a moving train, we have to have our phones turned off. We’ll go 5-8-9-12 hours without having our phone on nearly everyday. It’s kinda nice sometimes because we get a lot of that phone detox.

Being off social media ( except KZfaq/but less on it now )… replacing it with notebooks …. The brain is sooo much better … ❤️ I was meant to see this and connect with the same like minds 🙏🏽

Buddy, I don't have and don't use any smart phones for over 3 years now !!!! It can be done !!!