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I’ve converted to a flip phone and it’s honestly so fun lol. I think the way we have access to everything, and everyone, in milliseconds is rotting our brains and making us such an entitled society; entitled to other people’s time and energy on demand, their lives, business, etc. but I also think the way we get sucked in with links from app to app, ads, videos, and doomscrolling, everything is designed to be addictive and it leads (at least for me) to less productivity and more procrastination. I think having to work just a little harder, even to do something as simple as research something, can be good for us.
So what I’ve done is essentially converted my iPhone to a wifi connected iPod touch like from the old days. I’ve left on certain apps like FaceTime, banking apps, Spotify, kindle app, I kept this one to use occasionally and all my saved recipes on my phone of course, etc. but I leave it in my room and just use it in the morning or before bed for reading or checking emails, music for working out, stuff like that, and leave it at home for everything else.
Screen time of course is way down which is nice, it’s also really nice to not feel like I constantly need to be checking something, opening a message on an app, etc. I also have found so far and think it will continue to help me not spend so much money impulsively on things I don’t actually need.
Aside from all of the benefits, I think in general I just find it funny and all of my friends think it’s hilarious lol. I’ll have to figure out what I’ll do for airports, maybe bring the old iPhone with me, connect to airport wifi, scan boarding passes with it. I’ll figure that out when I get there.
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supriyaann I definitely recommend! And if worse comes to worse, I found my phone for $40 on eBay brand new in the box and unlocked, so if you hated it you could always put your sim back in your smart phone and not be out a whole lot of money lol.
The only issue I’ve had was with accidentally locking myself out of my Verizon because I tried the wrong password too many times so I had to call to get it fixed and they send your phone a verification text while on the line with you (which of course I couldn’t view while in an active call on the flip phone lol) so the rep just had me hang up, write down the code, and then called me back and it was all good and we reset all my passwords and pins so I know them😭😂
And I don’t even miss any apps that much, I do miss some of the goofier emojis I liked to use like: 🫡🙂↕️🤨🫶🏻😌💅🏻 and of course 👁️👄👁️
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i have been on a journey to untangle my tasks from my iPhone.
i'd be out in the world someplace, pull out my phone for something as menial as checking the time, or as well intentioned as capturing the moment in a pic, and immediately get sucked into texts and instagram™️ and all the virtual things happening in this tiny lil demon light box.
the goal: pull my phone out of my bag ONLY for phone things. that's texting, calling, and apps that can't be replaced
the solutions so far:
🕰️ i started with a watch (shoutout Casio) and i wear it every day. once I broke the habit of checking my phone for the time, I felt legitimately freed from something Major
📷 I bought a small digital camera to leave in my bag. the pics look better and I don’t get distracted by the virtual world when I'm trying to capture something in the now
📚 I bought a kindle. It fits in my jacket pocket (literally) and gives me something to do when I'm on the train or waiting for an appointment that isn't scrolling
I just realized so much of the time I spent on my phone was not intentional. It was a thing I was doing in between Other intentional moments. my screen time is still several hours a day (don’t get me wrong) but I think my brain has healed at least 3%.
welcoming other ideas as well💡
Sep 24, 2024
📞
I made the decision to "downgrade" to a flip phone and I genuinely think it is the best decision I've made in a long time. It's weirdly connected me to my inner-child. Which, in retrospect, I reckon I should have expected. The camera quality sucks in the best way, but I carry my Canon camera around too in case I need to capture something more important. I've been calling my friends more because T9 texting is a drag. Haha, I've been texting like "do u wanna c a movie l8er?"
I talk to strangers more when I'm waiting in line, when I can't look something up. I've been writing questions in my journal because I can't look it up in the moment, I have to get onto the computer later in the day and satiate my ever-flighty mind. Don't get me wrong, it sucked at first, but the intrigue absolutely helped. It has just been a fun way to spend the summer I guess. Screen time is down, my boredom has breed creativity, and I feel far more present in the world.
If you've been thinking about trading your smart phone in for a dumb phone, take this as a sign. I recommend it immensely.
Jul 15, 2024
😃
felt the same way, was sick of it. got a flip phone i could slip my sim card into, activated it. first two weeks i was kind of itching for the smartphone and the little dopamine hits. after a while things started changing. i started reading for fun again, my attention span improved significantly, i carried a little journal everywhere to jot down my thoughts. in every room where everyone was on their phones, i felt like i was the only person actually present, paying attention. i found so many beautiful ways to fill the time. strangers praised me for my bravery lol. when i had to drive or go somewhere i didn’t know how to get to i would write down the directions on a post it note and carry it or stick it to the dashboard. you will literally feel smarter for relying on your brain to figure things like this out instead of being on autopilot all the time. you can carry your smartphone around to use as an ipod/pocket camera and in an emergency it will still work on wifi. i asked friends to look things up for me (business hours, weather, traffic, phone numbers) when i was out and about. if people texted me id tell them to call me if they wanted to talk. it was a great decision that only ended bc i did an extended trip abroad where i needed my phone to get by, but i am going to go back to the flip again soon. i highly recommend! nothing compares to flipping a phone shut to hang up a call. it taught me how to enjoy true solitude again. do it!!!
Feb 27, 2024
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So we all think it’s sketchy that Tik Tok is already back right? And that they posted a statement kissing Trump’s ass and making him out to be the one saving Tik Tok when he isn’t even sworn in yet? And now Trump wants the US government to have a 50% ownership, aka turning Tik Tok into state owned media just like I thought was happening. And I’m sure most people won’t be able to stay away from Tik Tok and Meta which is so disappointing. I want nothing to do with Tik Tok now because I know the app as we knew it is already gone at this point.
Jan 19, 2025
There’s something about the quality of digital camera photos that make a picture of anything you take look more pleasing (to me anyway). The nostalgia, the saturation, I love them. I have a couple cameras that still work from when I was a kid, but I also bought one on eBay that was similar to one that used to be a favorite of mine. I just throw it in my purse and take it everywhere, and it’s so much more fun than trying to get the “perfect shot,” especially now that I’ve deleted Meta and gone with Pixelfed it seems that people love posting anything from the little things they see or their drinks. It’s making photo sharing fun again! Although, if you do download Pixelfed (which isn’t the point of this post but) I highly recommend using it in your browser on your phone for now, they’ve already made things run smoother from when I first downloaded but they’re definitely still working on the app.
Jan 20, 2025
📚
I’ve already read 48 books in 2025 while being on my flip phone, social media detox life. Yes, some of them were just trashy romance, but still. It’s been so nice to get back into reading for enjoyment again. It’s nice to be out and about and not have that constant urge to reach for a phone and check notifications.
I don’t even have most social media apps downloaded on this anymore, I love this app though, and the urge to click on an app and doom-scroll is nonexistent. This brick of technology has really turned into my iPod and Kindle, and the occasional pop back on here.
Mar 13, 2025