The right tool for the right job

Prior to being selected to take part in the Punkt. MP01 Digital Detox Challenge, giving up my smartphone and restoring some type of work/life balance was something I had been pondering for some time. I had recently become frustrated with endless charging, wastefulness and constant updates rendering the phone obsolete – but can you manage as a freelancer in 2016 not being connected 24/7?

The first thing I noticed early into the challenge was how much I enjoyed phone calls on the MP01. Phone calls without the buzzing of notifications mid-call, or the device getting hotter and hotter against my ear – actually going out of my way to call instead of text, much to the receiver’s surprise. I also took this opportunity to start using the right tool for the right job again – carrying cameras to document anything important and using books as source material/inspiration. The overall planning ahead of any trip or event during this detox became interesting again. In a way during the challenge making more effort due to lack of options that a smart phone allows, felt refreshing.

I’m happy to say that I have continued beyond the 48hr challenge and now use the MP01 as my primary phone. I still of course have a laptop for all things work-related and with that I can now better control my online time. My social media accounts such as Instagram have now become more of a blog platform which I use/post to during studio hours. I no longer worry about chargers on weekend trips/festivals or feel guilty every night plugging the phone in. I will of course treat this as an ongoing experiment and if I feel creative opportunities are being lost due to not being connected 24/7, then I can always revert to the former. As for now I’m very much enjoying the feel of buttons again.

Ryan Chapman, Illustrator

Instagram @ryanxchapman

Tallinn, Estonia