Great Use of Screen Time: Jose Briones and Digital Minimalism

Follow Jose Briones here.

If you're reading this via email, please click here to see the accompanying video.

by Laurie Allee

Must Watch for Digital Minimalists

Watch Jose's interview with Joe Hollier,
creator of the Light Phone 2 

The ironic part about living a life less digitally saturated is that by conscientiously spending time offline you can miss out on some great fellow travellers.  Jose Briones is well worth your screen time.

I first discovered Jose when I was researching dumb phones.  I was struggling with the incessant temptation of my iPhone, and I wondered if there was an alternative that would allow me to stay connected without getting sucked into an endless vortex of scrolling, likes and retweets.  Jose's channel is the perfect one-stop clearinghouse of detailed reviews, with plenty of explanations and demonstrations of the user experience.  If you are shopping for a phone that won't own you, Jose's channel will definitely help you make an informed decision.  He will point you toward some devices I guarantee you have not heard of before.  

My iPhone is now a (kinda) dumb phone.
(I just deleted most apps.)

Ultimately, I turned my iPhone into a dumb version of itself by deleting most apps and hiding the rest a few screens over in a folder.  I can still send and receive texts using the iPhone keyboard.  I still have the ability to listen to music, download audiobooks, use Uber and order from Instacart, but I no longer grab my phone to check Twitter or aimlessly surf the internet.  (Find out more about what I did to unplug here.)

But sometimes -- for reasons we all understand -- I still think I might want to make the leap to a truly scaled-down device.  For that I turn to Jose's expertise.  His knowledge of phones is exceptional, but he is more than just another product reviewer.  As you can see in his video at the top of this post, he is a  thoughtful devotee of the slower tech, digitally minimalist philosophy.  His common-sense approach to living more intentionally in a digital world is inspiring, but it's also doable.  Jose shows us that we don't have to check out of all technology in order to have a balanced life.  

Jose also hosts interviews with members of the digital minimalism community. (See his great talk with Light Phone 2 creator Joe Hollier by clicking the photo above left, and learn more about the slow tech rebels behind the Light Phone here.)  

Jose is a kindred spirit, and I always look forward to watching his videos.    I've included a few of my favorites here.  

For another great use of your screen time, check out Study With Merve here.  If studying isn't your thing, maybe you'd rather make art.  Here is some inspiration.

Stay tuned for more hands-on, analog activities to avoid phone scrolling.

For my guide to social media alternatives, click here. 

For great books to conquer digital addiction, click here. 

Leave me a message here.