What is A Flip Phone Life?
More than anything, I’m seeking a transformation and am using this Substack to chronicle it. I want to have a greater presence in daily life that most people don’t realize they’re missing.
By now it’s widely known that excessive smartphone use can have profound negative impacts on our mental health and relationships, and can lead to higher rates of anxiety, depression and sleep issues.
I can personally attest to all of this, as I’ve spent most of my adult life as a chronic iPhone abuser. As I upgraded from one phone to the next, and downloaded more apps and social media networks than I could possibly use, I started to lose control over how I spent my time. My phone filled many voids in life - whether I was at work, alone, with my wife or my kids, or pretty much anywhere.
Quickly over the years, my phone went from playing a minor role to a starring role in my life. It increasingly dictated my behavior and feelings, and it left me delusional about how, when and why I use it.
Eventually I came to realize that having all of the information in the world in my pocket, and being ‘always on’, was not a healthy way for me to live. I want to regain control and autonomy of how I use my time. To re-explore the world and our relationships like we used to. To be a good example for my kids.
That’s why I’ve become a smartphone teetotaler. And even after everything I’ve described above, I’ll admit I’m still semi-skeptical about the whole flip phone thing.
Why? Because I believe I have every justifiable right to own and operate a smartphone, especially in this precise moment of life.
I just moved to a major European city where I am learning a new language. WhatsApp group chats would keep me in-the-know with school parents and to reconnect with friends and family who are a continent away. Google Maps would guide me through new streets and public transport. A Translate app would help me to string together some sentences. A camera would allow me to capture the memories and beauty surrounding me. And the list goes on.
Professionally I feel just as justified. Throughout my career I’ve worked at the highest levels of my profession - in journalism, sports, marketing and most recently Wall Street. Those professional circles have an expectation that you’re always available.
But now I’m calling bullshit on all of it.
There are ways to remain connected, informed and professionally responsible without a smartphone (or chaining myself to a laptop). I know because my case is not unique.
Even so, I realize this journey won’t be easy or convenient - because it’s not supposed to be! But over the years I’ve become comfortable in uncomfortable situations. And, if you stay in discomfort long enough…You. Will. Grow.
Removing my smartphone from my life was just the first step. As Cal Newport so wonderfully put it, “The phone is not the problem, of course. It's the ecosystem of attention economy that arose around the smartphone.”
I want to safeguard my attention, lend it to only what truly matters and is necessary - and still stay curious and informed. I want to transform the way I experience the world and connect with both myself and the people in my life. I want to improve and strengthen my mental health just as I do for my body.
These are the personal goals from the journey I’ll be sharing on this Substack. I believe I’m out to do what most people don’t think they can do.
If I was to categorize the stories I’ll be sharing on A Flip Phone Life, it’d look something like this:
My journey and personal growth
Mental exercises
Parenting and leading by example
Cultural and social commentary
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As a subscriber you can expect to receive the A Flip Phone Life newsletter once per week, every Sunday. When this Substack gains traction, and paid support, I intend to increase its publishing cadence and to potentially include original reporting with experts who can proffer their insights.
What makes A Flip Phone Life different?
I personally will not offer advice on this Substack. It’s likely the biggest differentiator between this Substack and others on the topic of digital minimalism.
I am not a guru, an influencer, an expert or an academic. There are plenty of people on this platform and beyond who can provide tips, tricks, mental models and strategies on how to live a smartphone-free, digitally-minimalist life.
For the most part, I’m here to share my experience. And I’ve found there’s often just as much value in hearing from someone who’s simply walking the same path.
Not only will this Substack be personal, but it will be deeply vulnerable. For those who know me well, I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m here to leave it all on the page.
Another thing I’ll do differently than other Substacks and blogs is I won’t publish in real-time.
Introspection and reflection are core to the way I live my life and that won’t change here. What will that look like in practice? Most of the weekly content you’ll receive will be about events that occurred at least a month prior in my life. That allows me enough time to sit with my experiences and to write coherent stories worthy of your time.
I will not fall victim to performative living or the algorithmic self. No, thank you!
About me
You’ve read a lot about my motivations so far, but I believe it’s important for you to know a bit more about me, as it will give you more context about this Substack and my life journey.
I’m an older millennial (b. 1981) born and raised in New York and New Jersey to Puerto Rican parents. I’ve been married for 13 years and my wife and I together have three kids, ages 2, 8 and 10. We moved to Florence, Italy, on April 2, 2025, so that my wife and kids, who are new holders of Italian passports, can integrate to a new culture. We’re learning the language and absorbing the culture together.
Professionally, my career path has been anything but linear.
After starting out as a sports journalist in Detroit in the early 2000s, then working for the Oklahoma City Thunder and later a prominent sports agent in Chicago, I did a stint at Playboy (when it still had a magazine), freelanced for dozens of national publications, worked at several of the top ad agencies in Chicago and San Francisco, and eventually landed in senior marketing roles at Goldman Sachs and most recently at Blackstone, where I started in New York and finished in London on expat assignment.
After a year of traveling, our family settled in Florence where I’m working as a writer and consultant.
So, to recap: new country, new city, new culture, new language, new way of living - but with an old flip phone, a SAIET I picked up at a local Vodafone store.
Ditching my smartphone in these circumstances feels like embarking on a misogi within a misogi. I won’t die from it, but there’s a 50-50 chance things will work in our favor. I can say, with absolute certainty, this is me leaning beyond my edge. I’m both terrified of and in love with the challenges that lie ahead.
More about A Flip Phone Life
Here’s a Q&A I held with myself to answer additional questions subscribers might have about this Substack.
So - is this Substack basically a Dear Diary?
Not at all. To start, the majority of writing will be in essay form. But with my background in journalism and marketing I have a number of ideas for storytelling formats and series I plan to publish in the coming months. And because I’m doing this in a new country and city while learning a new language, I will share my on-the-ground, lost-in-translation moments. (I embrace self-deprecating humor.)
Expect this Substack to range from serious to introspective to silly.
Why are you doing this to yourself?
As I mentioned, I view it as doing something for myself. There are five good reasons. First and foremost, my kids pay attention to everything I do. I want to set an example of what matters most to me - deep in-real-life connections, the ability to figure things out without reaching for my smartphone, etc. - as they come of age. Having an attention-grabbing supercomputer in my hand or pocket, practically at all times, has not helped. Also, I read a lot about parents managing their kids' screen time. But what about their own?
Second, on a similar note, my wife and I have been trying our best to live a digital minimalist lifestyle with our kids. We haven’t owned a television in 8 years. The kids share one tablet for watching movies on long flights. We don’t have an Alexa. In our home, boredom is a gift.
Third, I’ve longed to return to the quality of life I experienced during my month off-the-grid in Bali in 2024. It was magical. (And I’ll soon post about it.) Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Luddite. I’m just searching for a balance of tech.
Fourth, I’ve developed some poor, terrible, no good habits with my smartphone over the years, and maybe even an addiction to LinkedIn, that I’m finally ready to address.
Fifth, I want to do things differently as I enter a completely new phase of life.
So is this some midlife crisis, a fad or an experiment?
Maybe this is part of a midlife crisis. Maybe it’s the only thing that makes sense in this hyper-connected world. I’m not sure. It’s fair to suggest it’s an experiment - because I have no idea how this is going to work out! Although I am hellbent on doing this with the intention of a flip phone becoming my new normal as I seek to transform into a new person.
I do not believe this is a fad. There are millions of people using flip phones today. And even with the evolution of AI and technology and the digitization of seemingly everything, I believe we’re also in the middle of a renaissance - or maybe a revolution, or both - of reviving pre-digital ways of living to foster richer life experiences in this modern world.
What about the principle of constraint? Can’t you just use an app blocker or set better boundaries?
That’s not the way my brain works. I’m not interested in app blockers or trying another set of boundaries, like leaving my phone in the other room when I’m with the kids. Over time, the lines and rules have always blurred for me. I’m all for the cold turkey/pendulum swing approach.
Will you try to convert me to a flip phone?
No way! My intention is to share my experience, insights and, whenever possible, present noteworthy research and findings. I’m not here to shame anyone into ditching their smartphone. I welcome all points of view in the comments section or through email.
So what are the guidelines for this?
Well, my SAIET flip phone dictates a lot of the guidelines for me. Check out this post for the rules I’ve set for myself.
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