Less Screen, More Life — Dumb Phones, Watch Phones and Digital Boundaries
What happens when you deliberately downgrade your phone — or replace it with a watch.
The smartphone is designed to hold your attention. Willem's response has been a multi-year experiment in using less of it: budget phones with fewer features, an Apple Watch as a complete phone replacement, small screens by choice, and the simple act of blocking blue light before bed. These posts are for anyone who suspects their phone is taking more than it gives.
The Radical Experiment
Can you live without a phone? Willem tested it: Apple Watch as Phone — ditching the iPhone entirely and living with just a cellular Apple Watch on his wrist. Calls, messages, maps, music — all from a screen the size of a postage stamp. The post documents what works, what doesn't, and what you learn about yourself when the big screen disappears.
The Budget Path
You don't have to go phoneless to go minimal. Using a budget Android as your main smartphone is the gentler approach — a phone that does less, costs less, and demands less of your attention. The durable smartphone post extends this: a phone built to last, not to be replaced.
Small by Choice
For the love of mini — a post about deliberately choosing the smallest phone you can find. Not because it's trendy, but because a smaller screen means less scrolling, less distraction, less time lost. It connects to the broader minimalism thread: technology should serve you quietly.
The Night
Blocking light for better sleep is the most practical post in this collection. No philosophy, just the concrete steps Willem took to reduce screen exposure before bed — and the measurable improvement in sleep quality that followed. It's where the dumb phone philosophy meets actual health data.
Also explore
digital minimalism · Android without Google · Apple ecosystem · watches and time
The Bigger Picture
These posts connect to everything Willem writes about digital minimalism, self-hosting, and intentional technology use. The person who builds his own server software and runs Google-free Android is the same person who wears a watch instead of carrying a phone.
