I LOVE limiting screen time because I become hypersensitive to how used I am to using easy entertainment as a crutch to keep from dealing with my own discomfort. A professor of mine always used to talk about how screens keep us from reaching rock bottom of our souls. From really knowing ourselves, our minds, and most of all Boredom. And I think there’s a ton of merit to that thought.
it made me focus on letting myself get real bored by not being on screens. ive found it opens up the door to my own thoughts and creativity, but also lets me fill that time with other things. Looking around, going on walks, reading books, writing. Things that might be distractions, but they fill my soul up instead of draining it.
ideas emerge from my mind much easier, or maybe it is just easier to pull them out of my mind without the yucky film screens wrap all my thoughts in.
One thing I recommend doing is turning phone grayscale on by turning color filters on and reducing white point. You can make it an accessibility shortcut so it’s easy to switch between color and b&w screen but it makes my phone in general feel much less like a weapon against my eyes and brain. And, frankly, it makes scrolling less beautiful than the real world. Like I could either look at this sad little light box fake world or THIS ONE IM LIVING IN.
I also just can't overstate how much I love being off instagram. I get to ask friends who I really care about what theyre up to, they tell me real things about their lives instead of the polished version, I share the same back. I don't feel like I have to keep up or worry if I dont want to.
And I honestly feel happy to not be faced with a divisive algorithm and stupid reels sucking me in.
It just feels like the kind thing to do for my mind. I know this is a dissertation but I’m really passionate about this initiative LOL.
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i have been on a journey to untangle my tasks from my iPhone.
i'd be out in the world someplace, pull out my phone for something as menial as checking the time, or as well intentioned as capturing the moment in a pic, and immediately get sucked into texts and instagram™️ and all the virtual things happening in this tiny lil demon light box.
the goal: pull my phone out of my bag ONLY for phone things. that's texting, calling, and apps that can't be replaced
the solutions so far:
🕰️ i started with a watch (shoutout Casio) and i wear it every day. once I broke the habit of checking my phone for the time, I felt legitimately freed from something Major
📷 I bought a small digital camera to leave in my bag. the pics look better and I don’t get distracted by the virtual world when I'm trying to capture something in the now
📚 I bought a kindle. It fits in my jacket pocket (literally) and gives me something to do when I'm on the train or waiting for an appointment that isn't scrolling
I just realized so much of the time I spent on my phone was not intentional. It was a thing I was doing in between Other intentional moments. my screen time is still several hours a day (don’t get me wrong) but I think my brain has healed at least 3%.
welcoming other ideas as well💡
Sep 24, 2024
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For over a year I had the "world's tiniest ruggedized phone". I don't remember the brand but I bet you can google it. Regardless, I still found myself using Instagram and Facebook on the tiny little screen 🥲. When they say social media is made to be addictive I fully believe it. App blockers, making my screen grey scale after 6pm, none of it works. I delete the settings, I remove the blocker.
The best things I've done for myself that is SO much easier said than done is 1. remove the thing from your life that you're trying to avoid and/or 2. Embrace the thing you're trying to avoid.
For me 1. Was a terrible job and 2. Was silence and boredom
Sep 30, 2024
it’s designed to be additive so don’t blame yourself, it doesn’t help.
deleting instagram helped me. sometimes i go on the browser but it’s a less pleasant experience so less addictive. i redownload when i want to post and then delete again. annoying but worth it.
my phone is getting old so my battery is going bad. this helps because i’m more inclined to only use my phone when i need it to keep it from dying. resist taking a charger every where you go if your phone is the same.
been following this writer/artist/screen time activist (?) and she has some cool thoughts on the matter: https://augustlamm.substack.com/p/you-dont-need-a-smartphone
Jul 25, 2024
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