Asking for advice/guidance on entering the handheld minimalism world.
As the title says, I'm asking for some help, tips, or even direct guidance on how to enter the minimalist world, but with some requirements. I currently use a Galaxy A35, Galaxy S9 Tablet, a paper art/note book, and my gaming PC. My phone I use for practically everything, as I'm sure a lot of others do. My tablet and notebook is for my personal projects as an aspiring writer and artist, and my PC is pretty self explanatory. But the true issue is my phone. I initially had confidence in saying "I don't use my phone that much", or "I barely use it unless I need it". After stumbling across this subreddit, among others, my eyes were opened to my personal truth. After a month of trying to be mindful and not reach for it at every opportunity, I realized how often I have it right in front of my face, even in public. The thing that really blew me away however, was how much I was using it while playing games, going out, or working on my projects. I have no social media apps on my tablet, and feel no urge (as far as I can tell) to doomscroll or mindlessly browse on both my tablet and PC. But my phone is constantly in front of me, and I have Youtube or Twitter up and scrolling away during game menu screens, when I'm trying to work on my projects, talking with my significant other, etc. And before I realize it, the time has zoomed by, weekend or date night is over, and a new work week begins.
There are three key points that I would like to focus on.
- A reliable, hopefully affordable phone that works with Mint Mobile.
- This one, while something simple that I can be flexible on, is probably the most important to me. Mint Mobile is my go-to phone plan, primarily because of how cheap it is, and it works exceptionally well in my area. I've looked into quite a few dumb phones, but I can't ever really seem to find a good match, or one that accepts Mint. I've also looked into things like the Light Phone 2, which would work for Mint, but the price point hurts pretty bad for something that is supposed to be so simple. I do need to be able to keep a phone on me with access to texting and, more notably, calling, to stay in touch with my family.
- Devices with access to Google Maps or an equivalent in some capacity.
- This one may be a bit strange to focus on for my reasons in particular, but it's important for me nonetheless. I am going to be taking the MSF course in the near future, and have wanted to ride and explore the world on a motorcycle to experience the freedom, and find inspiration for my projects. The second I looked at a real paper map however, I dropped a brick in my trousers. So, having access to a navigation device/service of some kind is something I need. It seems that a number of simpler phones wouldn't likely have a functional GPS (from what I've seen anyway, I may be wrong).
- A device specifically for music.
- This one has been especially confusing to me when I tried researching DAPs and affordable MP3 players. I absolutely love music, and hear that DAPs or MP3s are great for audiophiles such as myself because of dedicated quality. I currently use Spotify on my phone, especially the offline functionality when I'm at work. However, the issue I've run into is that I have been using Spotify for so long, I don't really know how to access music any other way. A lot of people using MP3/DAPs seem to have their own libraries that they've ripped from CDs and such, but that seems intimidating and potentially expensive. Additionally, some MP3/4 devices are basically miniature phones that utilize Android to function. While I am willing to buy CDs and my favorite music, this topic has been painfully confusing to research.
By no means am I asking one comment or individual to answer all my questions, but even some leads on starting in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading this, and for any tips or comments on my requests.