A Year Without a Smartphone: What He Discovered About Well-Being and Presence

In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, we sit down with Richard Simon — director of digital strategy at Georgetown Law and author of the powerful book Unplug: How to Break Up With Your Phone and Reclaim Your Life.Richard did something most people only dream of. He turned his smartphone off and lived for an entire year without it.No apps, no constant messaging, no social media, no notifications stealing his life one tap at a time.During that year he interviewed psychologists, educators, CEOs, parents, teens, and even MLB All-Star Nick Castellanos, who credits ditching his smartphone with helping him become one of the best hitters in baseball.We talk about how phones are quietly reshaping our minds and daily habits, leaving us more distracted, drained, and anxious, and how changing our relationship with technology can restore our mental, emotional, and overall well-being.What we cover◼️ The shocking way the original iPhone was tested, and what that reveals about how these devices were engineered to hook us◼️ Richard’s journey from “just a busy young professional” to realizing his phone was controlling his attention, sleep, and presence with his kids◼️ What it was really like to switch his phone off for a full year — including withdrawal, boredom, and the surprising beauty on the other side◼️ How smartphones hijack dopamine, why the anticipation of checking is so powerful, and what “attention residue” actually does to your brain◼️ Deep work, focus, and why having your phone near you is like keeping a tray of cookies on your desk when you’re trying to dietGet the book: Unplug – How to Break Up With Your Phone and Reclaim Your Lifehttps://a.co/d/g7knyyeConnect with [email protected] the Frum Health Club WhatsApp CommunityBe part of a growing chevra of frum men who are working on movement, health, and energy together:https://chat.whatsapp.com/BjBc8CZIC8ZIIu7jwVuEQe