Just over six months ago, I made a big change to my personal finances and connectivity; I switched my phone plan over to Freedom Mobile from one of their major competitors. I had been with that company since I was a teenager but they just weren’t providing me with the service I required anymore and I was overspending on my phone budget every single month. Switching over to Freedom has been a game-changer for me - transitioning my account over was entirely seamless and I’ve never had any issues connecting to their network this whole time. Before I switched to Freedom my phone bill was sometimes upwards of $135 - now it is $65 total. The best part is, I have so much data available I never have to stress out over adding more data to my plan halfway through the month. To help others understand what a change this has been for me, I am sharing some of the ways I use my iPhone in everyday life - for entertainment, fitness, connecting with family and making wellness a priority.
With so many articles and news stories telling us that we need to get off our screens and how harmful it is to constantly be connected on our devices it is hard to imagine that actual good can come from staring at our phones. But I am constantly finding that there are ways that my phone usage can actually contribute POSITIVELY to my life.
The new Screen Time feature on the iPhone has been a bit eye-opening in terms of how I’ve spent my time when using my phone. As much as it is disconcerting to see how much time you may have wasted scrolling through social media it is a good tool to change your ways. Phones are an essential part of life, so there is no getting away from that, but setting healthy boundaries and time limits on your screen time is a good way to be more present and avoid feeling guilty when that Screen Time notification rolls around at the end of the week.
One of my favourite ways to use my phone is to discover new music on Spotify. I can get lost on there, going down rabbit holes, from one artist to a new one, discovering beautiful music that speaks to me. In terms of wellness, music is definitely how I unwind and re-centre myself when I am feeling stressed out. I love that thanks to Freedom Mobile’s data plan, I’m able to stream new music wherever I am and not worry about overage charges.
Imagine this, but one of my main uses for my phone is actually one of its intended uses: connecting with family. My son and I use FaceTime everyday to chat with my parents. Even though we all live in the same city, it is so nice to be able to connect daily and see our family. My son loves to call his grandparents every night to say goodnight before bedtime. We also have been using apps like WhatsApp to have a family group text going. My brother was recently in Hong Kong for nearly two months for work and it allowed us to keep in contact, share jokes and see how he was doing despite the 15-hour time difference.
Keeping up with my personal health and wellness is also important to me and I use my phone to constantly track my progress. Using my FitBit watch and app, I am able to keep up with my fitness goals and make sure I am moving enough during the day (a problem for any self-employed person who spends a lot of time in front of a computer). Meditation apps like Headspace are great for creating a calming routine in the evenings before bed or taking a break when things get stressful.
I am always trying to find new ways to use my phone in a way that contributes to my life in a positive way. Ultimately, switching my account over to Freedom Mobile has been a huge part of that. Upgrading my phone to the iPhone X has expanded my creativity and the Freedom Mobile plan has helped me access the tools that I use regularly without worrying about going over my data plan. It is exciting to have so much possibility in the palm of your hands and I’m looking forward to continuing to explore these possibilities with Freedom.
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This post is in partnership with Freedom Mobile. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep this blog full of fresh content.