Why I Don’t Want an Apple Watch

Over the past year or so, Apple Watches have completely blown up. Everyone and their mother seems to have one. Because of their growing popularity, I thought about whether or not it was something that I might want to invest in for myself. It didn’t take me long to come to the conclusion that it definitely was not. If you’re considering buying one, or already have one but aren’t really sure what you think, keep reading for some of my thoughts on why I don’t want an Apple Watch.

1. I Don’t Want to Constantly Be Thinking About Calories & Fitness

Maybe this is just me, but I really don’t like it when I’m constantly thinking about food and fitness. Sometimes I just want to live and escape the feeling of obligation that often comes along with those things. I like to think of calories as something in food that we use to nourish our bodies. Not something that always needs to be measured out and monitored closely. Eating should be enjoyable and an innate human response to hunger. Instead, it’s becoming something that we obsessively restrict and worry about.

For many people who are struggling to live a healthy lifestyle, being constantly reminded of their calories and steps can be very stressful and lead to feelings of hopelessness. Sometimes the best thing we can do is disconnect and just live for a while. Personally, I’ve found that I’m usually at my healthiest when I’m not tracking food or workouts and not always thinking about calories. Ideally, we should be letting our hunger cues dictate how much we eat, not a tracking device.

For those who are already living a generally healthy lifestyle, the Apple Watch can lead to other issues, like obsessive behaviors and thoughts about calories. If you’re already a healthy person without the Apple Watch, why get one? If you’re lucky enough to be healthy, you should consider it an advantage that you don’t always need to be thinking about your food and your health. Many people have conditions that do not allow for such a luxury.

2. I Like Being Able to Be Away From My Phone

I already feel as if my phone and I are attached. The very last thing I want is to literally have my phone attached to me at all times. Some of my favorite days are the days that I completely forget about my phone because I’m focused on other things. This becomes impossible when your phone is basically on your wrist.

This can become a problem with relationships and interacting with other people. When you’re having a conversation with someone, having a constantly buzzing watch that makes you look down at it can come off as very rude. At least with our phones, we can put them away in our bag while talking with people. You don’t have that option with the Apple Watch.

It’s also not ideal for productivity because it’s a major distraction when you’re trying to work. It’s hard enough for me to put my phone away while working on something. I can’t imagine all of my notifications coming from my watch. If you find yourself being easily distracted by your phone, an Apple Watch probably isn’t a good idea.

3. A Few Miscellaneous Issues…

These next few issues that I have with it aren’t health-related, but I figured they were worth the mention. The first is kind of an obvious one: they’re extremely expensive. The cheapest one that Apple offers is $400, and they go up to $1,500! I don’t know about you, but that’s way too much for me to be spending on a watch. I don’t care how fancy it is.

My last point might not be an issue for other people, but I find it pretty annoying. I’ve found that you really can’t dress up the Apple Watch. When you’re wearing it, you’re really just pulling of the “fitness” look (which I’m all for in the right time and place). But if you want to dress formally or professionally, you really need to take it off to complete the look. And then what’s the point? Maybe that doesn’t seem like a valid reason not to get one for some, but for me, it’s definitely a factor.

We’re all consumers. And as consumers, it’s important to learn all there is to know about a product before we buy it. These were just my initial thoughts when I thought about purchasing an Apple Watch. Maybe it’s a really nifty thing to have for some people. But is it for you? What are your thoughts on the Apple Watch?