It’s been just over a year now since I switched to a flip phone and I really have no intention of going back anytime soon. At first, I thought that I would be lost without a smart phone and, to be honest, I definitely was for the first few weeks. It’s a huge change going from an ultra connected device to one that can hardly send a text. When you drop the smart phone your connectivity instantly evaporates. You no longer have the constant pings of notifications from your social media accounts and the group chat messages go silent until you log onto your computer. This change really isn’t for everyone, but I truly believe it can be a life saver for some people.
The constant barrage of notifications from social media can be overwhelming for a lot of people, especially for those with a lot of followers. When you have a smart phone there’s also a certain expectation of being available at all hours and on all platforms. Many people expect instant responses to their messages and, in some cases, instant feedback on their posts. There are many studies that show a correlation between depression and social media use. Altered photos and seemingly perfect lifestyles can create unrealistic expectations, which in turn leads to a dissatisfaction with one’s life. Switching off from social media and the internet in general can be a huge relief for some people. I know that I struggled with a lot of these issues and I do feel much better and happier now that I limit my social media use to my personal computer.
One aspect that I found quite difficult to adapt to (at least in the beginning) was navigating in unfamiliar areas. I have struggled a lot less than I expected to, but it can lead to some anxiety when you travel to a new location with only a hand drawn map and a mental image of the Google Maps route. After a short amount of time, however, I found that my memory and inner navigation system improved tremendously. I realized how utterly dependant I became on Google Maps; I would often use it for locations only a few kilometers away or for places that I’ve been to many times before. It is true that the live traffic updates are an amazing feature which can’t be replaced by a great memory, but one could always purchase a dedicated GPS system to avoid this issue.
The amazing cameras on modern smartphones are probably what I miss most. Having constant access to a great camera means that you can capture and save practically any moment – good or bad – and send it to whomever you want to. The 1MP camera on my flip phone might be good enough for saving some important information but the quality means I definitely won’t be posting any cat pics on the internet any time soon. I have gotten used to being more in the moment and ensuring that I savour every detail. It's a great change to enjoy the company you're with rather than living life through the lens of a camera. For the most important occasions, I would still recommend bringing a separate camera.
I hope you enjoyed reading about some of the pros and cons I've come across after switching to a ‘dumb’ phone. Perhaps it will encourage someone to make the change as well. If you do, let me know at 12camparker21@gmail.com.
- Not posted from my iPhone