About this episode
In our 100th Kosher Money episode, we chat with Richard Simon, a guy who went completely offline for a year. What he learned might totally change how you see your phone. We were promised connection and convenience, but most of us just feel more anxious and distracted. In his book Unplug, Richard talks about how our devices quietly steal our focus and shape our lives without us even realizing it. If you’ve ever felt glued to your phone, this episode might be the nudge you need to finally take a break. Get the book: https://amzn.to/4naAcPc Contact: author@richard-simon.com ✬ SPONSORS OF EPISODE 100 ✬ ► BITBEAN – BitBean is the go-to team for custom software that actually works for your business. Whether you're in healthcare, finance, or retail, they’ve built powerful platforms that scale smart. Connect here: https://bitbean.link/4edg53 ► TWILLORY – Premium men's wear that works hard and looks even better. Use promo code CHAI20 at https://Twillory.com/KosherMoney for 20% off your first order. Enjoy! ► MONEY HALACHA – Real people have real money questions & Money Halacha has real Torah answers. Get short, practical 1–4 minute halacha clips straight to your phone every week via WhatsApp: https://MoneyHalacha.com/Join ► COLEL CHABAD – Our brothers and sisters in Israel need us more than ever. Every dollar makes a difference at https://colelchabad.org/koshermoney so please give what you can. Thank You! CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 01:29 The Moment Richard Realized He Was in Control 03:23 People’s Outrageous Screen Time 03:50 Forgetting What Life Was Like Before Phones 04:49 What Happens to Our Brains When We Use Our Phones 06:00 How Richard’s Smartphone Affected His Career 07:09 Attention Residue 11:09 You CAN Be More Focused 12:33 This MLB Player’s Big Decision 16:50 Why Get Rid of Your Phone Completely? 20:30 BitBean – Bringing Your Big Ideas to Life 21:23 Twillory – Look Good & Feel Good 22:48 Letting Go of Technology Frees Your Mind 28:00 How to Break Up With Your Phone 33:35 The Awareness of Phone Addiction 35:27 The Challenge of Giving Up His Smartphone 37:15 What Richard Used Instead of His Apps 39:05 How His Wife Was Influenced 39:53 Should We Give Our Children Smartphones? 47:02 Girls vs. Boys – Conversations and Smartphones 47:46 Money Halacha – Weekly Halacha Clips 49:06 Colel Chabad – Feeding Thousands of Families 50:21 How the Corporate World Is Unplugging 52:10 The Different Smartphone Breakup Styles 53:40 Addiction vs. Self-Control 54:19 Saving Money by Going Phone-Less 55:05 What Richard Did With His New Free Time 57:20 Quietness Leads to the Best Results 59:42 Why People Struggle to Let Go of Their Phones 1:00:01 The First Step to a Healthier Relationship 1:04:55 Pros and Cons of ChatGPT 1:07:40 What Richard Would Tell His Younger Self 1:08:22 How He Helps People Work on Their Phone Addiction 1:10:31 Ways to Make Using Your Phone Less Tempting 1:12:38 Richard’s Must-Have Book 1:13:27 How to Contact Richard 1:13:38 Why Richard Doesn’t Have Social Media 1:15:02 Richard’s Next Book? + Recs 1:16:39 Outro: Contest & New Winner ✬ Support the show! - https://www.livinglchaim.com/donate Need financial clarity? Visit LivingSmarterJewish.org for free resources. Follow Kosher Money for bonus clips: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@koshermoneypod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koshermoneypod Call-In-To-Listen Hotline: USA: 605-477-2100 | UK: 0333-366-0154 | Israel: 079-579-5088 WhatsApp feedback: 1-914-222-5513 Reminder: This episode or description is not financial advice. Always do your own research. #DigitalDetox #PhoneAddiction #FocusAndSuccess #ProductivityTips #AttentionEconomy #MindfulLiving #DeepWork #SelfImprovement #KosherMoney #LivingLchaim #JewishPodcast #JewishFinance #MoneyMatters #FinancialFreedom #PersonalGrowth #SuccessHabits #TimeManagement #MentalClarity #WorkLifeBalance #KM #DiaryOfACEO #UnpluggedLife #DigitalMinimalism #RichardSimon #SmartphoneAddiction