Why I Decided to Ditch My Apple Watch

Initially, I thought wearing an Apple Watch was the ultimate way to stay on top of my health and fitness goals. I loved the idea of tracking my workouts, monitoring my heart rate, and receiving notifications all in one place. However, after a while, I realized that it was doing more harm than good for me. 

First of all, let’s face it: I was glued to the screen. Studies have shown that excessive screen time can lead to increased anxiety and stress (Twenge et al., 2019). I found myself checking notifications more often than I’d like to admit, which took me out of the moment and added unnecessary pressure to my day. Getting notifications on more than just one device was uber distracting. The notifications were a constant distraction, pulling me away from moments of mindfulness. Research shows that multitasking and constant alerts can even impair cognitive control. I wanted to be more present, not more distracted.

I also found myself becoming overly reliant on my watch for health metrics, which led me to neglect my body’s natural cues. I wanted to start listening to my body again, rather than just what my watch told me. While it was motivating at first, I quickly felt overwhelmed by the constant push to meet my daily activity goals. Instead of feeling accomplished, I started to feel stressed whenever I didn’t hit my targets, and even started ignoring my body's signs and started overtraining to get that sense of “accomplishment”. 

While initially I was using it as a fitness tool to understand my habits and metrics more clearly, it became something I found myself dependent on. There reached a point where I was going beyond understanding my body and just becoming habitually used to doing what the watch says, and although the levels of electromagnetic fields from devices like the Apple Watch are generally low, I recently learned about some studies that raise concerns about long-term exposure (IARC, 2011). I decided it was best to minimize any potential risks to my health.

In the end, I realized it was doing me more harm than good. I’m now focusing on listening to my body, being more present, and finding joy in movement without the added pressure of technology. Sometimes, stepping back is the best way to move forward! By going this route, I have already seen a significant shift in my fulfillment from my workouts and my understanding of my body as a whole.