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- The Drop In: Is Your Watch Killing Your Flow?
Edition 010
Smart Watches & Flow
Welcome back to The Drop In — your weekly Flow-State OS for peak performance.
Disclaimer: If you love your Apple Watch, I mean no offense with this post. It’s the most popular watch in the world for a reason and it’s hard to battle against the Apple ecosystem and interoperability between devices — which is Apple’s last super-power. That said, The Drop In will often challenge the reader about their respective relationship with technology. So, even if you are not going to part with your Apple Watch (or smart watch of any kind), I ask you to be honest with yourself in how you might use a screen strapped to your wrist.
With that out of the way; I don’t wear a smartwatch.
Yes, I know it can track my sleep, remind me to breathe, buzz me when I’ve been sitting too long, and tell me that my friend just closed their “rings.” Fantastic.
But here’s the thing: every time that screen lights up on your wrist, your attention fractures. You’re no longer fully in the conversation, the workout, the deep work session—or, let’s be honest, the moment. Instead, you’re Pavlov’s dog, wrist-snapping to see if someone just liked your Slack message.
Why It’s a Flow Blocker
Flow requires uninterrupted attention. A single buzz, ping, or glowing rectangle on your arm can snap you right out of it. Unlike your phone—which you can at least put across the room—your smartwatch is physically tethered to your body. You are literally wearing distraction.
It’s like strapping a Vegas slot machine to your wrist and calling it productivity.
The Middle Ground
Now, I get it: ditching the smartwatch might feel like sacrilege. Some people genuinely need health metrics, timers, or hands-free navigation. If that’s you, fine. Consider:
Do Not Disturb mode (either during deep work sessions or even consider permanently).
App detox: strip it down to health and fitness functions only.
Smartwatch Sabbath: one day a week with no screen on your wrist.
Screen-free alternative: if you really want data, try a Whoop band. It tracks activity, recovery, and sleep—without a glowing dopamine Pez dispenser attached.
Why I Wear an Analog Watch
I prefer the ritual of winding a mechanical movement or glancing at a clean dial with nothing screaming for my attention. It’s a subtle reminder that not everything in life needs to be optimized, tracked, and quantified. Some things just get to be. I also happen to love the design of analog watches and always appreciate when I see someone with an analog watch. It’s like a cool retro-club.
Analog timekeeping has its own flow to it: precise, elegant, quiet. And most importantly—distraction-free.
Praxis: The Analog Test
This week, experiment:
Put your smartwatch in a drawer for three days.
Wear an analog watch (or nothing at all).
If you still crave the metrics, try a Whoop strap.
Notice your focus levels, your stress, and how often your attention wanders.
If you feel lighter, sharper, or just less like a wrist-captive to the attention economy… you’ve got your answer.
– Michael
Founder, The Drop In
& Author of ‘Human Traits — a novel exploring humanity’s relationship with AI’