The Terrifying Truth About The Device In Your Pocket
In our 100th (!) Kosher Money episode, we sit down with Richard Simon, a man who decided to go offline for an entire year. What he found out might change the way you look at your phone forever.
Our devices promised to make life easier and more connected, but for many of us, they’ve done the opposite. They’ve made us anxious, distracted, and always “on.”
Richard, author of the book Unplug, explains how our phones are quietly rewiring our brains, stealing our focus, and shaping our lives in ways we don’t even notice. (It's sickening.)
He breaks down what constant scrolling does to our minds, why it’s so hard to stop, and how it affects the way we work, learn, and even pray.
You’ll also hear real stories of people who found more success and peace once they started living with fewer distractions. One baseball player ditched his smartphone and ended up performing better than ever, proving that less screen time can actually lead to more wins (and more success).
If you’ve ever felt like your phone controls you, this conversation will hit close to home. It’s honest, eye-opening, and maybe the push we all need to take back our time and our attention.
Watch it, think about it, and maybe even try to unplug for a bit.
Get the book: https://amzn.to/4naAcPc
Contact: author@richard-simon.com
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
01:29 The Moment Richard Realized He Was in Control
03:23 People’s Outrageous Screen Time
03:50 Forgetting What Life Was Like Before Phones
04:49 What Happens to Our Brains When We Use Our Phones
06:00 How Richard’s Smartphone Affected His Career
07:09 Attention Residue
11:09 You CAN Be More Focused
12:33 This MLB Player’s Big Decision
16:50 Why Get Rid of Your Phone Completely?
20:30 BitBean – Bringing Your Big Ideas to Life
21:23 Twillory – Look Good and Feel Good
22:48 Letting Go of Technology Frees Your Mind
28:00 How to Break Up With Your Phone
33:35 The Awareness of Phone Addiction
35:27 The Challenge of Giving Up His Smartphone
37:15 What Richard Used Instead of His Apps
39:05 How His Wife Was Influenced
39:53 Should We Give Our Children Smartphones?
47:02 Girls vs. Boys – Conversations and Smartphones
47:46 Money Halacha – Weekly Halacha Clips
49:06 Colel Chabad – Feeding Thousands of Families
50:21 How the Corporate World Is Unplugging
52:10 The Different Smartphone Breakup Styles
53:40 Addiction vs. Self-Control
54:19 Saving Money by Going Phone-Less
55:05 What Richard Did With His New Free Time
57:20 Quietness Leads to the Best Results
59:42 Why People Struggle to Let Go of Their Phones
1:00:01 The First Step to a Healthier Relationship With Your Phone
1:04:55 The Pros and Cons of ChatGPT
1:07:40 What Richard Would Tell His Younger Self
1:08:22 How He Helps People Work on Their Phone Addiction
1:10:31 Ways to Make Using Your Phone Less Tempting
1:12:38 Richard’s Must-Have Book
1:13:27 How to Contact Richard
1:13:38 Why Richard Doesn’t Have Social Media
1:15:02 Richard’s Next Book? + Recs
1:16:39 Outro: Contest & New Winner
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⚠️ Reminder: This episode or description is not financial advice. Always do your own research.
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