Apple Watch is taking over my wrist
Discussion
I recently started going swimming twice a week as it’s one of the few forms of exercise I enjoy and puts less strain on joints etc. compared to going to the gym or jogging both of which I hate.
To help with this I thought it would be a good idea to buy an Apple Watch SE to track my progress and encourage me to push a little harder every week. Having worn mechanical watches for years including some rather nice ones which I still have in my collection I’ve found I’m wearing these less and less.
Since the Apple Watch also records other activities like walking the dogs and washing the cars I’ve found myself wearing it as the default choice every morning to track/improve all my activities and complete all three rings every day. This has got to the point where it I’ve not worn a mechanical Watch for more than 2 months except for a wedding in September and my birthday last week.
I suppose it could be described as addictive but bizarrely I’ve also lost a bit of weight and my general health has improved as well so it’s all very positive except I’m now starting to question the point of keeping all the other watches if I’m possibly never going to wear them again which I’m finding even more bizarre.
So I thought I’d ask if anyone else has found themselves in a similar situation and how you felt about it?
To help with this I thought it would be a good idea to buy an Apple Watch SE to track my progress and encourage me to push a little harder every week. Having worn mechanical watches for years including some rather nice ones which I still have in my collection I’ve found I’m wearing these less and less.
Since the Apple Watch also records other activities like walking the dogs and washing the cars I’ve found myself wearing it as the default choice every morning to track/improve all my activities and complete all three rings every day. This has got to the point where it I’ve not worn a mechanical Watch for more than 2 months except for a wedding in September and my birthday last week.
I suppose it could be described as addictive but bizarrely I’ve also lost a bit of weight and my general health has improved as well so it’s all very positive except I’m now starting to question the point of keeping all the other watches if I’m possibly never going to wear them again which I’m finding even more bizarre.
So I thought I’d ask if anyone else has found themselves in a similar situation and how you felt about it?
Honestly I stopped wearing my Apple watch as it was overwhelming with notifications. I always felt like I was behind, failing at life etc because it was constantly telling me that I wasn't responding enough, getting enough exercise etc. It sort of made life like a video game that I was crap at.
Stopped wearing it and feel liberated. Well, on a sliding scale anyway, not like the end of the Shawshank Redemption or anything. Not sitting on the sofa getting work notifications was great and has never made me miss the Apple Watch.
I also found the exercise tracker was only good for cardio and nothing for the rest of it. I thought about being a 2WW but couldn't bring myself to do it.
Stopped wearing it and feel liberated. Well, on a sliding scale anyway, not like the end of the Shawshank Redemption or anything. Not sitting on the sofa getting work notifications was great and has never made me miss the Apple Watch.
I also found the exercise tracker was only good for cardio and nothing for the rest of it. I thought about being a 2WW but couldn't bring myself to do it.
Withings do activity tracking watches that look like normal watches if you'd prefer something a little more classical looking.
Personally I find my Gamin Fenix does everything nicely. I thought Gamin Pay (I assume your apple watch can also do apple pay?) was a pointless feature I'd never use but it's bloody fantastic, I rarely carry my wallet now.
Personally I find my Gamin Fenix does everything nicely. I thought Gamin Pay (I assume your apple watch can also do apple pay?) was a pointless feature I'd never use but it's bloody fantastic, I rarely carry my wallet now.
I wore smart watches for around 18 months including a Garmin then a Samsung Galaxy watch 3 and im now back to mechanical watches again.
I found smart watches were taking over my life I was constantly checking notifications and then felt compelled to respond to them.
I dropped back to just wearing a smart watch for running but due to a long term knee injury I can't run now so I'm back in the gym and I've given up on smart watches completely and sold them.
I do have one G-Shock which doubles up as a step counter I use occasionally but that's as smart as my watches get now.
I feel much happier with a traditional watch.
I have a mate who is currently wearing an apple watch and has ditched his luxury watches so I'll see how long he lasts with it.
I found smart watches were taking over my life I was constantly checking notifications and then felt compelled to respond to them.
I dropped back to just wearing a smart watch for running but due to a long term knee injury I can't run now so I'm back in the gym and I've given up on smart watches completely and sold them.
I do have one G-Shock which doubles up as a step counter I use occasionally but that's as smart as my watches get now.
I feel much happier with a traditional watch.
I have a mate who is currently wearing an apple watch and has ditched his luxury watches so I'll see how long he lasts with it.
Jamescrs said:
I wore smart watches for around 18 months including a Garmin then a Samsung Galaxy watch 3 and im now back to mechanical watches again.
I found smart watches were taking over my life I was constantly checking notifications and then felt compelled to respond to them.
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I have a Garmin. When I leave the house I put it on, when I re-enter the house, I take it off. I don't need sleep tracking and other gimmicks.I found smart watches were taking over my life I was constantly checking notifications and then felt compelled to respond to them.
....
It's denied permissions to link to my phone for email and what not, as my phone can do that and don't want the watch beeping constantly.
Notifications can be problematic whether it’s on your phone or watch. Well worth reviewing which apps you want to allow to do notifications at all, how they get delivered and which you want to allow through to your watch. The new focus modes are good too. Just let everything fire alerts and it’s endless noise.
I find one of the best things about using the Apple Watch is that I don’t feel compelled to keep my phone on me at home - if something important happens it’ll come through on the watch.
I find one of the best things about using the Apple Watch is that I don’t feel compelled to keep my phone on me at home - if something important happens it’ll come through on the watch.
I'm hoping to get an Apple Watch and will double wrist. I was actually looking at a Garmin initially but I think that is just too much like a regular watch and I don't want to stop wearing my other watches. Probably still look like a bit of an idiot wearing an apple watch and another watch but I do see people doing it.
I mostly want the fitness tracking.
I mostly want the fitness tracking.
I've got a Xiaomi mi smart band which I have most of the notifications disabled on except for phone calls. As others have said, I just have the tracker on one wrist and a nicer watch on the other for that kind of occasion. Other than that, the mi band lives on my wrist except for showers (it is waterproof but just feels wrong).
Edited by _Yeti on Friday 22 October 13:52
I have tried several smartwatches and I just can't get on with them. I don't see the point really, as my phone is always in my pocket or on my desk in front of me at work, so notifications and stuff are right there anyway. They don't need to be on my wrist as well.
Apart from walking places, I don't ever do fitness/sport/health stuff, so that's probably a decent chunk of their functionality wasted on me.
I appreciate they are amazing pieces of technology, and I can see why they would be useful to many people, but just not to me. Bit odd really as I always liked tech and gadgets, but smartwatches have never done it for me.
Always get bored by them and go back to wearing a mechanical watch.
Apart from walking places, I don't ever do fitness/sport/health stuff, so that's probably a decent chunk of their functionality wasted on me.
I appreciate they are amazing pieces of technology, and I can see why they would be useful to many people, but just not to me. Bit odd really as I always liked tech and gadgets, but smartwatches have never done it for me.
Always get bored by them and go back to wearing a mechanical watch.
Lord Marylebone said:
Apart from walking places, I don't ever do fitness/sport/health stuff, so that's probably a decent chunk of their functionality wasted on me.
I don’t bother with the fitness tracking stuff either but find my Apple Watch invaluable for times when I don’t want to be bothered digging my phone out to take a call, check a text/email or change my music. This is primarily when I’m walking the dogs or cycling (commuting, pootling round)Apple Pay on the wrist is very handy too.
I suppose I use it more like a remote control for my phone…
I’m not using it to its potential at all but I do find it exceptionally useful and wouldn’t be without it.
I view it like my G shocks or Seiko autos. A useful tool.
Voodoo Blue said:
So I thought I’d ask if anyone else has found themselves in a similar situation and how you felt about it?
Very definitely even though I dont have a collection of alternative watches, just a couple. I have used a Garmin watch to monitor activity levels after being given the word about being sedentary. Also bought a dog to get the daily step count up. And linked to the app to monitor trends.Got a bit fed up of the thing buzzing and telling me to "move" when watching TV. Currently the watch is broken and am about to replace with an Apple one.
Its all a bit saddo really!
Mind you I am currently doing an OU computer course which is saddo x 2 
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