Reflecting on 30 days with a Flip Phone || Downgrading from an iPhone in 2021

 For the month of September, I have been using a Flip Phone. My normal phone before this has been an iPhone. Needless to say it has been a transition! But as I've let you know through out my blog posts on it, it has been an easy one for me!

I have not had any issues really arise from switching to a more basic 'dumb' phone. I honestly have not had any real trouble with it. I thought my list of complaints might be longer, but here are only about 4 real things bothered me.

Honest Issues I experienced:

1. Thumb Pain while texting

    When I first started using a flip phone, I had thumb pain from texting. It did clear up after sometime, but it really was a deterrent for a while. I am unsure on why exactly I had thumb pain from texting, maybe the physical keys actually got me, but it has disappeared for now.

2. Missing my music

    While this was something I expected, I did not realize how much I would miss my music. I only have had a working radio for just under a year, before that my car radio was broken so I drove in silence for 5 years, and I thought I would be fine with the silence. But honestly I really missed the music a ton and the silence bothered me a lot. I tried the radio stations and that wasn't terrible but I missed my music that I would stream in from an app. This has been one of the hardest parts of using a flip phone!

3. Low quality camera

    Don't get me wrong, the camera is serviceable! It takes a decent enough photo for some things. But there have been times that I wished I had a better camera in the phone or at least with me at the ready! But this was not a huge issue but still something that I was iffy about.

4. Being sent links/photos

    While my phone could receive links and photos via texts, it was not as easy of an experience as my iPhone. It was something I expected, but still not the best phone if you send/receive a ton of links and photos via texts. But if you are getting away from it, and let people know that you are, it might not be as constant of an bother. But it honestly was not the worst experience, just different.

While I had a couple minor issues with the flip phone, I also experienced some nice benefits. The benefits are to the point where I don't even know if I am going to or should switch back to my iPhone!

Benefits I experienced:

1. Disconnect from social media

    One of the main reasons that I decided to try a flip phone for 30 days is social media. While I don't think I had an addiction to social media, it defiantly was a regular distraction. I constantly was checking Instagram and Facebook every time I checked my phone before. Now I barely check it or even think about it. Which has been a detriment to my Instagram posting, but it has really saved me from the endless scrolling.

2. Less screen time

    Along with disconnecting from social media, it has reduced some of my screen time. I work on a computer and also do a lot with screens with my blog and YouTube in my spare time, but I've reduced some of my unnecessary phone screen time. So I think that is a bit of a start!

3. Lots of blog and video ideas

    While I am not sure if this has to do with my flip phone specifically, I have a ton of blog and video ideas lately! I have a huge list and even a calendar mapping out the next few ideas I'm brewing. I think it might be in part the separation from social media and in part the ideas that have bubbled up from trying this 30 day format of video/post that really has me excited to create. While maybe not because of the flip phone, this is how I have felt for the last 30 days.

Wrap up:

All and all I think I achieved my goals for the month. I followed the 'rules' I gave myself, regarding using my iPhone as a tablet by simply not using it at all. And not only do I feel increased my productivity because I didn't have the constant social media distraction, but I feel perfectly happy using the flip phone. That being said, I have decided to try using my iPhone again.

In going back to my iPhone I have set controls using the screen time limits for everything except calling, texting, and the camera. I think the month really taught me that I truly do not need much more than that at any given moment. It also made me conflicted about going back to my iPhone because I liked the flip phone so much. But I can always go back to using the flip phone at any moment. I also think the flip phone really is a great option for disconnecting from distractions online.

So with 30 days completed, I think it was a great experience and potentially something more long term for me.