Like many people, I use my phone as an alarm clock. My first instinct after dismissing my alarm in the morning is to start scrolling, but that’s a terrible habit I’d like to stop. The solution I’ve found is incredibly simple: use a smartwatch instead.
Here’s my problem: Every morning, I dismiss my alarm and immediately start browsing apps, then I stay in bed too long and feel bad it. There are a couple of common recommendations to fix this. I could charge my phone overnight across the room so I have to get out of bed to dismiss it, or I could ditch my phone as an alarm completely and switch to an old school clock. I’m not in love with either of those options.
In Search of a Solution That Fits
The first idea would certainly get me out of bed right away, but that’s not the only problem. I’m more concerned about starting my day with pointless scrolling than staying in bed too long. So, a dedicated alarm clock would work, but I don’t want a dedicated alarm clock. Phones have the easiest and most advanced user experience for alarms I’ve ever known–I’m not giving that up.
With that in mind, I thought the solution would be an alarm clock that could sync with my phone. That way, I’d have something within reach that I can dismiss or snooze while still being able to use my phone for managing the alarms. Well, that products doesn’t seem to exist–as far as I can tell–but I realized something: I already have a device that works independently from my phone and syncs alarms. It’s my smartwatch.
A Mini Alarm Clock
The smartwatch solution is the best because it doesn’t require any setup. All you have to do is put your phone somewhere out of reach at night–I have mine on my dresser–and keep your watch on your wrist for sleep tracking or bedside table. A charging dock is a nice bonus if you have one.
Whether you have an Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, Pixel Watch, or some other type of smartwatch, it will be able to sync with the alarms on your phone. Just make sure you don’t have notifications from the clock app or alarms disabled on your watch.
I love when I can find something that works with the tech I already own. Sure, an alarm clock that syncs with the alarms on your phone would be pretty cool–especially a retro flip clock. But my smartwatch is already going to be on the bedside table every night anyway, so I might as well use it. I may still be snoozing my alarm every morning, but at least I’m not losing 15 minutes to scroll TikTok.
