Two weeks ago, I took off my Apple Watch. Four years of constant wear generated massive volumes of data. But did it help?

In one sense, yes. If I consider the previous four years a period of training, I gleaned insights into my behaviors and was able to test several theories. I now have a very good understanding of my overall health, how my body responds to certain lifestyle changes, and benchmarks for my day.

Now that I have those understandings, the Watch became a distraction. In the first week without daily use, my screen time fell by 20%. The Watch was my gateway to my other devices and, consequently, distraction.

It’s been an adjustment. I’m texting people less and have to rely more on my HomePod and iPhone for Siri actions. On the flip side, I really enjoy getting to choose which watch I wear each day. Instead of a generic rectangle, I now have different bands, faces, and options. Also, these watches aren’t $500 to replace if damaged.

The Apple Watch was meant to be a watch killer, but in the end, Apple shot itself in the wrist. A lack of meaningful watch face options, coupled with seven years of watchOS limitations ended up pushing me away. Will I return to it someday? Perhaps. If I remember to charge it… a problem my other watches don’t suffer.