Smartphones promise convenience, but their relentless pings, messages and notifications can leave users feeling chained to a screen. Visual artist and technology use activist August Lamm argues that walking away from the device can restore time, attention and stronger human connections.

Lamm, who is based in upstate New York, gave up her smartphone in 2022, shortly after turning 27. She felt addicted and realized she was devoting more time to her screen than to creating art.

Her experience inspired “You Don’t Need a Smartphone: A Practical Guide to Downgrading Your Phone and Upgrading Your Life.” The book combines her personal story with arguments for abandoning smartphones and practical guidance for making the change work.

Screen use has become deeply embedded in daily life. According to the Office of the US Surgeon General, the average person between ages 13 and 18 spends more than eight hours each day on screens, while excessive screen time is associated with lower physical health, mental health and wellbeing.

Lamm switched to a flip phone without web access, initially fearing that she would lose contact with friends and struggle to meet people because she could not view online event postings. Instead, she said she made more friends and strengthened existing relationships.

Without a smartphone competing for attention, Lamm said people project more open social energy and remain present during conversations. “You’re fully present when you are with people.”

She also became more deliberate about maintaining friendships, while friends had to contact her directly. Because she could not see social media stories or participate in group messages, people shared news about vacations, relationships and other events with her by phone or in person.

Meeting new people changed as well. Rather than trading social media accounts and hoping to connect later, Lamm began making immediate plans, inviting new acquaintances to upcoming events or arranging to meet during the following week.

Lamm acknowledged that losing the ability to reach for a phone during uncomfortable moments was difficult at first. Without that familiar escape, she had to experience feelings that a device had previously helped her avoid.

Over time, she found other ways to respond to stress and emotional discomfort. Calling a friend, reading a book, walking and listening to music became analog alternatives that she regarded as healthier ways to fill the void.

The change also challenged the idea that smartphones always save time. Lamm argued that hours spent scrolling far exceed the extra time required to call a utility company, visit a post office or use a library to print a bus ticket.

Those errands can also provide opportunities to go outside, walk and interact with other people. Meanwhile, brief phone checks can quietly accumulate as users answer texts, glance at headlines and repeat the pattern dozens of times throughout the day.

“If you’re doing that 50 times a day, that adds up to a few hours of screen time,” Lamm said. Since abandoning her smartphone, she said she still has hours of free time every day, even during demanding periods filled with work and pressure.

Lamm also believes her memory, focus and sense of direction improved once she stopped outsourcing everyday tasks to a smartphone. She said people naturally retain information and recover those abilities without having to deliberately retrain themselves.

Her surroundings began to feel different once her attention was no longer fragmented. When she owned a smartphone, Lamm said she often thought about when she could next check it, creating a constant sense that something else required her attention.

For people convinced that life without a smartphone is impossible, Lamm recommends trying it for one month before reaching a verdict. Those who rely on an app for blood sugar monitoring can use a basic phone as their primary device while treating the smartphone strictly as a medical device.