Why Some Celebrities and Entrepreneurs Don’t Use Smartphones (Or Use Them Very Little)
Why Some Celebrities and Entrepreneurs Don’t Use Smartphones (Or Use Them Very Little)
In a world where visibility, speed, and constant communication seem essential to success, it might sound unrealistic — even irresponsible — to step away from your phone. Yet a surprising number of celebrities and entrepreneurs have done exactly that.
Some don’t use smartphones at all. Others keep them strictly limited. Not because they dislike technology, but because they understand something most of us are only beginning to rediscover:
Attention is finite — and once it’s fragmented, everything else suffers.
Fame, success, and the cost of constant access
For public figures, stimulation is already built into daily life: schedules, expectations, noise, pressure, and constant demands. Adding unlimited digital input on top of that can quickly become overwhelming.
Many well-known figures learned this the hard way. Their response wasn’t to become more disciplined — it was to create clear boundaries.
Celebrities who limit phone use
Keanu Reeves
Known for his grounded lifestyle, Reeves has often emphasized real conversations and presence. While not anti-technology, he’s widely associated with keeping his life simple and offline when possible.
Emma Watson
Watson has stepped away from social media for extended periods, citing the need to protect her mental space and sense of self.
Ed Sheeran
Sheeran famously ditched his smartphone for long stretches, switching to email only. He has said the change significantly improved his mental health.
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Christopher Walken
Walken doesn’t own a smartphone or use email, relying instead on his team. His approach reflects a deliberate rejection of constant digital noise.
Scarlett Johansson
Johansson has been outspoken about avoiding social media, describing it as invasive and distracting.
Adele
Adele has taken long breaks from social media, openly sharing that it negatively affected her mental wellbeing.
Elton John
He famously banned phones at private events and weddings, stating that they interfere with real human connection.
Entrepreneurs who fiercely protect attention
For entrepreneurs, distraction isn’t just inconvenient — it’s costly. Many have built routines around minimizing phone use.
Steve Jobs
Jobs was famously restrictive about technology use, including in his personal life. He believed boredom and silence were essential for creativity.
Jeff Bezos
Bezos avoids early-morning phone use and emphasizes protecting decision-making energy, especially at the beginning of the day.
Jack Dorsey
Dorsey practiced extreme digital minimalism, limiting notifications and spending long periods offline.
Naval Ravikant
Ravikant is vocal about avoiding constant inputs, believing that clarity and long-term thinking require space.
Tim Ferriss
Ferriss limits phone use, avoids news consumption, and regularly schedules low-input days to reduce anxiety.
Elon Musk
Despite leading tech companies, Musk has spoken about batching communication and minimizing unnecessary phone interaction.
The shared insight behind all of them
Despite different careers and personalities, the reasoning is strikingly similar:
- Constant availability fragments thinking
- Stimulation delays emotional recovery
- Creativity needs boredom
- Focus requires boundaries
- Presence improves relationships
None of these figures reject technology entirely.
They reject unconscious, constant access to their attention.
You don’t need fame to do the same
It’s easy to assume this level of control is only possible if you have assistants or teams managing communication. But the principle applies to everyone.
You don’t need to disappear.
You need places and moments where your phone doesn’t follow you.
That’s why many people are moving away from pure willpower and toward environmental design — changing where the phone goes, not just promising to use it less.
Making intentional phone use realistic
This is where tools like Humanodoro Pad fit naturally into everyday life. Instead of fighting habits, you give your phone a clear physical place to rest — during work, evenings, conversations, or time with others.
The companion app gently rewards time spent off the phone, reinforcing behavior without restriction or guilt. Nothing is locked. You’re always in control.
The real lesson
When celebrities and entrepreneurs step away from smartphones, it’s not about being different. It’s about survival in a world that never stops demanding attention.
Their choices reflect something many people are beginning to feel:
Constant connection isn’t the same as meaningful connection.
You don’t need to live like a celebrity or think like a billionaire to apply that insight. Sometimes, the most powerful upgrade isn’t a new device — it’s knowing when to put the one you already have down.
Title image Author: Steve Jurvetson Licensed by: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
