I've Been Phone Free for a Month Now...

So the backstory, I dropped my S7 on the way back from college all the way back in May. It still worked up until about mid-September when the screen starting flashing white so much to the point I couldn't see the screen well enough. It was too expensive to get the screen replaced so I got a secondhand iPhone 5 off my step-dad as a replacement. This was fine until the battery gave out suddenly about a month ago that is. Since then I've been phone free and I'm kinda loving it. I've noticed a lot of differences in my life and all of them are for the better. Below are just some examples, there are meany other positive outcomes to going phone free but these are just the most important to me personally.

Self Image

Since losing all my social media accounts except for Facebook I found myself less and less often obsessing over what I look like, I'm much more comfortable in my own skin and no longer feel the need to compare myself to others. I've found I've also developed more of my own personal style identity as the only person influencing me is myself. Not having this fear of how I'm presented on social media has made me a much happier person and it just proves to myself how much I let it take over my life without even realising.

Productivity

I used to spend so much time on my smart phone it was unreal, I'd find myself so bored because all I was doing the whole day was surfing through social medias or playing the same games over and over. Since being phone free I've had more of a focus on hobbies like my reading and fitness and starting these blogs. Without distractions I have much more of a focus on myself and what's going on in my life. Having more spare time has also given me the incentive to look for a new job where I can make a career out of what I enjoy (although I haven't found that career yet).

Relationships

I'm quite the recluse so I only really have my family, boyfriend and co-workers. However, dropping the phone (literally) has improved the amount of quality time we spend together. I spend more time interacting with my family, my boyfriend and I talk more face to face about important matters and I'm more likely to meet up with co-workers instead of just the Facebook chat.

Living

Without my phone, I don't have anything to browse or listen to music on while commuting, I've found myself more sociable to people I see in the street even if it's just saying hello. I take more time to look at what's around me and changes that occur in my town, it's the best when I'm walking with my dog I get to full enjoy being out in nature without having that desire for my phone in my head. I've even found it easier to sleep at night as I'm not staring at screens from the moment I wake up to the moment I finally decide to dose off.

Downsides

The only real downside is with no texts, I can only contact people over the internet, and since I have no mobile data devices, that can only happen when I'm connected to wifi. It isn't as difficult with so many places offering free wifi these days but it could cause problems if there was an emergency situation. This luckily hasn't happened yet. Another downside is not being able to access my mobile banking however I'm lucky that I live in a town five different banks in it so there are plenty of ATM's.

But soon it will be over. I recently purchased a second-hand phone online, just a basic ten-year-old call and text phone until I can afford the fees to get my S7 fixed. I'm actually pretty excited to get it as it was the same phone I had in year seven. I've missed you music DJ™. Although I think when I do get my S7 fixed I won't be as glued to it as I was previously. I hope these habits stick and that I am able to use my phone in moderation, I think it's something most people take for granted now a days and I hope one day more people will realise there's so much more to this world than the screen in front of your face.