A D.C. CEO swaps his smartphone for a flip phone and invites others to reclaim attention.
From Meet the DC Tech CEO With a Flip Phone and No Social Media on washingtonian.com
The Shala Daily
YOGA • PHILOSOPHY • LIFE
February 26, 2026
🧘
✦ CULTURE ✦
Flip the Phone, Reclaim the Evening
A D.C. CEO swaps his smartphone for a flip phone and invites others to reclaim attention.
🕉️ KEY CONCEPTS
Vairagya
Dispassion—practicing healthy detachment from addictive habits like compulsive checking.
Tapas
Self-discipline—choosing small austerities (a flip phone, device-free evenings) to strengthen will and clarity.
Satsang
Good company—cultivating in-person circles that support presence over performance.
Aparigraha
Non-possessiveness—letting go of the need to be constantly available or documented.
"I gained an extra seven hours in my day. I feel like a superperson."
— Danny Hogenkamp
Small, repeatable acts of restraint—lock the phone, keep a journal, gather without screens—retrain the attention and open time for deeper living.
— MJH
Original Article: "Meet the DC Tech CEO With a Flip Phone and No Social Media" by Jessica Sidman, Washingtonian
✦ ALL SHALA DAILY
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