Well, I did it. I went to Walmart and bought a pay-as-you-go phone. Grand total: $14.99. I took that to the AT&T store and said, "I'd like to activate this". The worker snarked, and pointed to my iPhone. "Don't you mean that?" he said. "Nope. This flip phone."
So he did it. It took all of about a half hour for the entire transaction, and I felt such a weight off of my shoulders. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time. There were days where I would click on my screen and delete every app that wasted my time. But it was only a matter of time before I found myself shamefully retrieving them from the iCloud. I don't see how this isn't more fully identified as an addiction. It is. Now my phone just exists. I don't feel compelled to stare at it when I'm with people or alone. I just respond to texts as I receive them, if it's convenient.
And you know what happened?! I literally stopped to smell the roses yesterday. Well, they were blossoms, but it was close enough. My phone was zipped up somewhere in the deep trenches of my backpack as I schlepped across campus, because I wasn't constantly getting work emails or homework notifications or snapchats of anyone's dogs. And for the first time in a long time, I took my time. And I wasn't stressed out. I just felt present. I picked a flower off the tree and pressed it in my journal as a symbol of self control and fulfillment.
Today, in my spare time, I checked my email all at once. I set aside time to do so, when I had time to reasonably respond to the emails. Nobody expects immediate responses. And if they do, they can just assume I'm busy. Because I AM busy, and prioritizing my responsibilities accordingly.
Result: Ditching the iPhone= 10/10. Would recommend to a friend.
-Sara
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