Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Ryan Smith is a 50-year-old luxury car salesman in Idaho Falls. He was becoming anxious from the constant pings of his smartwatch.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ryan Smith. It has been edited for length and clarity. For the last seven years, I've worn a smartwatch on my wrist all day, every day. Working in ...