Learning to Unplug with Hannah Brencher

·50 min·3 clips

Hannah says phones deliver dopamine, and the brain wants “the cheapest fastest form to get it.”

1. Live Well Anyway centers on Hannah Brencher’s Unplugged Hours and Mackenzie Coppa’s effort to live more present with phones off. 2. Mackenzie Coppa hosts the episode, and Hannah Brencher appears as author, writer, and online educator who teaches routines and rhythms. 3. The episode asks whether a person can find balance with technology instead of choosing between total connectivity and flip phones. 4. Hannah says she started unplugging on her birthday after hearing, “turn off your phone,” and she tracked every hour offline on a printed sheet. 5. She describes feeling tired, exhausted, and responsible for “holding it all together” when the habit began. 6. Hannah says phones deliver dopamine instantly, while walks, sunlight, good conversation, and reading require more effort. 7. She argues that the brain does not care whether the screen is social media, banking, email, or a game if the reward is dopamine. 8. Mackenzie connects the topic to her own life by describing summer job changes, application emails, and repeatedly checking for responses. 9. Hannah says adults should talk about screen use, not only children, because screen time is a lifestyle issue for grownups too. 10. She compares current phone access with earlier eras when people left the house and only an answering machine could receive calls. 11. Hannah says she owns an Apple watch and mostly uses it as a notification device, not a health tool. 12. She says she bought an Oura ring because it gives her data without texts, calls, or the time. 13. Mackenzie says her Kindle feels more like a book than her phone app because no one can reach her there. 14. Hannah says single-minded focus on one task at a time made her more productive and more satisfied with ordinary duties. 15. She gives the example of wrapping a book early for a “blind date with a book” party instead of rushing at the last minute. 16. Hannah says Sabbath has become a redemptive rhythm that releases control and gives her real rest beyond seven hours of sleep. 17. The conversation is conversational and reflective, with Mackenzie sharing personal stories and Hannah responding in a calm, practical tone. 18. The episode stays grounded in everyday examples like puddles, college applications, pizza Friday, and email boundaries rather than theory. 19. People trying to reduce phone use without shame will probably love this episode. 20. Listeners wanting a fast tech-hack manifesto will probably skip it.

As heard by us

A grounded reset on presence, phone habits, and the cost of staying always reachable.

The conversation between Mackenzie Coppa and Hannah Brencher returns again and again to a simple question: what changes when someone steps away from a phone long enough to notice the day in front of them?

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Why you'd press play

Press play when your phone has been louder than your day.

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