They can help us connect with those across the world, but in doing so can hinder our connection with those across the room. They can help us supercharge our productivity, and they can constantly distract us from our meaningful work.


As two recent college graduates who've grown up with smartphones, we realized that more often than not, the distracting features win out. Whether at the library, the office, or dinner with family, these devices are constantly pulling us away from what matters.

While the simplest solution we found was to simply stop taking our phones with us everywhere or switch to a flip phone, we quickly realized how important smartphones have become. We use them to hail a ride, document our days with pictures and notes, get directions, and countless other things that truly enhance our daily lives. By giving up our smartphones, we would be forced to give up these luxuries we so take for granted.