ALKHOBAR: A niche community of Saudis are choosing simpler phones with limited functionality to reduce screen time and regain focus.
The shift is becoming more noticeable among students, creatives and young professionals who describe constant connectivity as mentally exhausting.
Known globally as “digital minimalism,” the practice involves intentionally reducing digital consumption, often by replacing smartphones with basic devices that support only calls and texts.
According to data from DataReportal, Saudi Arabia has recorded social media penetration rates above 90 percent, with average daily usage exceeding three hours. The scale of that exposure has drawn increasing attention from researchers studying focus, sleep and cognitive fatigue.
For 26-year-old Riyadh-based content creator Noura Al-Qahtani, the decision to switch to a basic phone followed years of constant online engagement.
“I didn’t realize how much of my day was disappearing into scrolling,” she said. “When I switched to a simple phone, the first thing I noticed was silence. It felt uncomfortable at first, but then it became clarity. I could sit, think and actually finish things without interruption.”
Her experience aligns with a growing body of research. A 2021 study published in Nature Communications found that reducing digital interruptions improved sustained attention and cognitive control, with participants performing better on tasks requiring focus when distractions were limited.
The appeal of “dumb phones” is not technological regression, but control. By removing access to apps, notifications and algorithm-driven feeds, users create an environment where distraction is no longer constant.
Research from the American Psychological Association has linked frequent digital interruptions to reduced attention and increased cognitive fatigue. Over time, repeated interruption can condition the brain to favor speed and novelty over depth.
For Dammam-based university student Abdulrahman Al-Harbi, the impact became clear during exam periods.
“I would sit down to study and end up checking my phone every few minutes without even thinking,” he said. “After switching to a basic phone during finals, I realized how much easier it was to stay focused. It’s not that studying became easier, but my mind stopped jumping around.”
The effects extend beyond attention. Sleep quality is also affected by digital habits. According to Harvard Medical School, exposure to screens before bedtime can suppress melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep and maintain consistent sleep cycles.
The impact is not limited to social media. Some users say reliance on AI tools has also begun to shape how they think and work.
For 29-year-old Riyadh-based communications specialist Omar Al-Salem, the turning point came when he realized how often he defaulted to tools such as ChatGPT for everyday tasks.
“I started using it for small things, like drafting emails or organizing ideas, but over time it became my first instinct for almost everything,” he said. “At some point, I noticed I wasn’t thinking things through the same way. I was faster, but not necessarily sharper.”
He described the decision to step back as difficult, particularly given how integrated the tool had become in his daily workflow.
“It wasn’t easy to stop relying on it,” he said. “But after a while, my focus started to clear. I found myself thinking more slowly, but more deeply. It felt like I got part of my attention back.”
Some users describe switching devices as less about productivity and more about mental recovery.
For 30-year-old Jeddah-based consultant Sara Al-Zahrani, the change was gradual.
“I didn’t quit my smartphone completely, but I stopped carrying it all the time,” she said. “I leave it in another room when I’m home and use a basic phone when I go out. The biggest difference is that my mind feels quieter. I’m not constantly reacting.”
Her approach reflects a hybrid model that is becoming more common. Rather than fully abandoning smartphones, users are creating boundaries around when and how they are used.
This aligns with findings from research published in Computers in Human Behavior, which shows that limiting smartphone use can reduce anxiety and improve overall wellbeing without requiring complete disconnection.
Still, experts caution against treating digital minimalism as a universal solution. Smartphones remain essential tools for communication, work and access to services, particularly in a highly digitized environment such as Saudi Arabia.
The issue is not the presence of technology, but the absence of boundaries.
In a society where connectivity is often equated with productivity, choosing a simpler device can appear counterintuitive. Yet for some Saudis, that choice is becoming a way to regain control over time, focus and mental space.
As Saudi Arabia continues to position itself at the forefront of technological advancement, the question is no longer how much technology can be integrated into daily life, but how it should be managed.
For those turning to “dumb phones,” the goal is not to reject technology, but to control it. In a hyper-connected society, attention is becoming a resource that has to be actively protected.
