Experience with daily driving 2 different devices

18 Aug, 2025

With an entertainment and my primary device in the last 3 weeks

Written in 03-08-2025/2025-08-03 17:40 UTC and Published in 18-08-2025/2025-08-18 20:00 UTC

Before I start, I should note that, at the time of writing, my smartwatch is set up with an eSIM. This enhances my dual‑device distraction‑management strategy, allowing me to leave both phones at home. However, this article focuses on the three weeks I spent using two phones—one for entertainment and one as my primary device.

In the introduction I’ll highlight two key aspects, and the conclusion will show that those aspects have had a noticeably positive impact: overall distraction levels were significantly lower when I was out and about (except when I needed the devices for tasks such as writing this article).

With that said, let’s dive into the report.

Intro

Over the many years of my life, I’ve struggled to shower on time—or earlier than expected—and I’ve also had trouble maintaining focus at work. After implementing the setup I’ll describe below, those issues finally changed. The breakthrough came from using my primary device for everything (games, YouTube, forums, etc.).

I tried three solutions based on the setup I have (or had): two profiles—a focus profile and a full-focus profile—as well as a minimalist launcher with time-limiting functions. None of them worked. So, desperate measures were taken, and, to be honest, I’m grateful I carried out the maneuver despite the potential risk of making things worse. It’s also worth noting that I deliberately chose not to put a case on the device.

Setup

My setup is as follows:

• Entertainment: iPhone 16 Pro Max – games, authenticator, e‑mail, watching videos, anime, and public communication (Signal, SimpleX under my alias).
• Primary: Pixel 7 – GrapheneOS with Pie Launcher, personal communication, banking and navigation, calendar, and local notes (with secondary profiles for banking and food delivery). This device also runs on top of NextDNS, with all categories in Parental Controls set to ON.

My primary reason for specifically choosing the iPhone is twofold:

1. The best security and relative privacy it offers.
2. A higher refresh‑rate gaming experience, especially for HoYoverse titles. If it weren’t for (likely) exclusivity deals, I would have chosen a dedicated gaming phone. I also want to give a shout‑out to Jordan at Privacy Guides for informing and inspiring my decision—no Reddit thread even attempted to corroborate this. For reference, Zenless Zone Zero and Honkai Star Rail run at 120 fps on the iPhone Pro lineup with a 120 Hz refresh rate (lineup may vary; I cannot confirm exact models).

As for the Pixel, it has been my primary phone for a long time; it was recently reset for a fresh start using the setup described above.

Results

The result, as I mentioned in the intro, is that those two aspects have had a significant impact. What do I mean? Let’s start with the shower routine. Previously I would watch YouTube right before heading to the bathroom, and the platform’s algorithm would drown me in videos until I realized I was terribly late for work.

At work I have a very patient boss, but I tended to lose focus and constantly lean on my phone. My boss was understandably frustrated and sometimes grew desperate. After buying my iPhone and deliberately choosing not to put a case on it, I’ve been able to concentrate much better, finishing at least one (often several) assignments each day.

Regarding showers, I now bring my phone with me almost never. Consequently, I finish showering well before the expected time and can leave promptly.

As a bonus, this setup has helped me be more present in everyday life—especially when I’m with parents or friends. I’m essentially disconnected from my phone unless my best friend messages me (or I message him), allowing me to focus on the conversation and contribute fully, which suits my ambivert nature.

You may recall that I also bought a smartwatch to try to enhance this system. While the overall improvement is substantial, it isn’t perfect. One day, bored in the workplace diner, I brought my phone and started browsing marketplaces; that was the moment I seriously considered getting the smartwatch. It isn’t a magic distraction‑free solution, but it does help.

Admittedly, I sometimes still bring my primary phone and disable the NextDNS private DNS option, but this rarely interferes with my shower routine and isn’t a constant habit—so that’s a plus. Overall, the smartwatch helps resolve many of the remaining issues, allowing me to stay far more focused than before.

Conclusion (or TL;DR?)

In conclusion, after trying some initial things like using a minimalist launcher with time limiter, trying to use different profile for this situation. None of those solutions worked to the point I had to resort to buying another phone, the iPhone 16 Pro Max while keeping my Primary phone, the Pixel 7 with GrapheneOS. but just resetting it after getting my iPhone setup and ready, moving the games, entertainment, public communication under my alias, E-mail and Authenticators in there but keeping my Pixel for personal notes, communication, navigation and calendar. I have seen a way significant impact especially in aspects that I struggled which is work, shower and as a bonus, focusing more on friends and family hangouts than on my phone.

Why I think digital minimalism is important.

In a world where mainstream apps increasingly compete for our attention and waste our time for profit, it’s easy to see how unsupervised tablet or phone use can become a problem—especially for kids. (Side note: I’ve noticed I’m far less distracted than my brother when it comes to his phone. I’ve tried encouraging friends and family to adopt a similar approach, but few have been willing so far. I’m hopeful I can convince my best friend first and see how it goes—​the contrast is striking.)

Embracing digital minimalism gives you confidence that your tools live in the right places instead of cluttering every corner of your life. As the old saying goes, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”—in other words, avoid doing everything on a single phone. Since adopting this mindset, I’ve experienced a noticeable boost in overall quality of life and a surge in creativity. I often write outside, near a park café, and have even spent two afternoons in cafés with only my entertainment iPhone (while my friend borrowed a tablet for drawing). Without a phone to distract me, the writing flow feels pure.

Adding a smartwatch to the mix only amplified the benefits, surpassing my initial expectations. My move toward digital minimalism has been warmly supported by my parents, friends, and family, and I truly appreciate that they enjoy watching my journey. I hope you’ll feel inspired to try it yourself.

Honorable mentions and Outro

I hope you’ve enjoyed this report‑style blog and found my experience with dual‑device distraction management—or digital minimalism—useful. I also want to give an honorable mention to ThePrivacyDad, who wrote a similar article about switching back to a single phone for everything. His experience mirrors mine: using one phone can lead to wasted time. For clearer insight, I highly encourage you to read his article linked below.

See you next time!

Gorujo

#privacy #tech