In 2016, I wrote this blog post, sharing the reasons I thought that every minimalist needs an iPhone. It was all for convenience: phone calls, calendar, quality camera, clock, GPS, notes and reminders, calculator, contacts, Kindle, email, music, Safari, weather, apps for blogging and social media, FaceTime, to be able to work online from anywhere in the world with wifi, to sync everything with my laptop and cell and with Nick's laptop and cell, etc.
In many ways, my smartphone made my life easier.
However, at the same time, the technology began to slowly (and really without me realizing it) take away my freedom when I lacked boundaries and contributed to a lot of anxiety because I felt trapped since I had built my entire business through social media and didn't see how I could ever part with it because of that. On top of my own reasons, I also couldn't stand watching how everyone around me was also glued to their own phones. It was like watching the movie Wall-E play out in front of me.
So, last November, at my 10-year-anniversary of launching my online business, I challenged myself to a year off of social media! I wrote this blog post explaining my decision, saying
"I was becoming more and more aware of my new daughters little eyes on me, wanting to copy everything I did.
I want her to read books, play with friends, help with chores, go on walks, spend quality time with us, learn about self-care and all the little things that are building her character, moment by moment. I don't want her to think screens and social media are the goal.
But, she wants to be just like me.
So, I have to be who I want her to be."
Eight years after arguing that every minimalist needs a smartphone, I'm now arguing that everyone should upgrade to a "dumbphone". I'm 11 months into my social media fast and not planning on going back. I haven't missed it and feel so much more peaceful. Instead, I plan to challenge myself further by using my iPhone like a good old fashioned phone as much as possible.
I'm cutting way back on texting, so call me if you want to get me. I'm paying more attention to the moment, while I take less photos to mark the occasion. I'm using my GPS only when I'm lost. And all my other apps? They're gone. No more googling, online shopping, browsing, listening to music or podcasts, checking the weather, reserving hotels and flights, paying off credit cards, keeping so many notes I never refer back to, checking email throughout the day or all the other ways I've found to waste time.
For now, I've got a very expensive dumbphone!
Once my iPhone quits working and needs to be replaced, I'll figure out the right phone purchase for me. I'm hoping it'll be one of the old bricks or flip phones I used to love before things got so "convenient".
How about you? Have you ever considered upgrading your smartphone to a dumbphone?
