Finding a hobby to do at home as downtime has been a game changer in creating time away from digital activities. I started watercoloring and can easily spend an hour+ in a flow state without thinking about my phone or checking social media. I love your comment about reading 100 books but not readying anything. I listen to a lot of info-rich podcasts while I'll walk and drive and honestly, I am hearing the information but don't really feel like I'm LEARNING it. Anyways, thanks for the great read!
Thanks Chelsey! Yes totally - same with podcasts for me. It's interesting to because when I multi-task I usually do so to 'make the most of time' but the outcome is that I wasted at least some of it because there's no retention 😅 And yay on the watercolor! Isn't it so special to have activities where time stands still and flies by at the same time?? For me it's been embroidery lately. It's so meditative.
Thanks for this reminder. I recently did a digital detox where I completely avoided screens after 5pm and before 9am for a week. It was a beautiful experience. I noticed so many differences - better sleep, a more peaceful mind, deeper connections with my partner. Screens are robbing us of so much...
Last year I spent a week with only minimal access to a cellphone, and that impression still lingers in my mind every time I'm mindlessly looking for that dopamine hit. This is a very useful list!
Glad you found it helpful, Sara! These times offline are so helpful in showing us another way (and have been instrumental in motivating me to make changes 😇)
offline a little over a year ago but recently found myself checking instagram on my browser. I have since gone back to strict restrictions of not using but this article was the extra reminder I needed to get stay consistent with this routine!
Hi Isabella, so great to connect! I feel you on this... every few months I slowly get sucked into it again, only to soon be reminded why I want to stay away. But that's still so much better than not even trying to stay off! It's a practice 🙏
These are so helpful. I've been turning to mindless scrolling lately as a way to dissociate from the grief of the fires, but at the same time, the social media scrolling is making me more upset about the fires. I need to put limits on the scrolling, it sucks up too much of my day, especially when I'm getting ready in the morning.
Glad to hear it, Elizabeth! It was exactly the same case for me with social media & the fires. As I mentioned I think it's so important to cut ourselves a break in light of a natural disaster, but it definitely showed me what doom scrolling does to my brain 😶🌫️
I found this article extremely beneficial. I think many of us know we want and should lean into offline (I am distressed at my low attention span for reading yet I want to ingest and respond to good thinking that has taken time to create rather than snippets) and sometimes creative ideas on the how aren't so easy to find. You present a plethora of possibilities. I particularly like the one about taking on a craft. Cross-stitching and paint my number are calling my name. What a journey.
Hi Alison, so glad to hear you've found it helpful! 🥰 I've been really getting into embroidery (a lot of people seem to love punch needle too), I imagine cross-stitching is similarly meditative!
I had to google punch needle! I feel like we had another name for it when I was young but I can't remember - rug hooking? Embroidery is beautiful - causes me a bit of stress so I like the structure of the cross stitch or rug hooking... already feeling more centred thinking about it!
Hi Bruce, I'm not sure I fully understand your question - are you asking if my attempts to lower my screen time are controlling me? It's quite the opposite. Once I put these things and habits into place I felt much less pulled to my phone and was able to be present with what is in the real world a lot better 😇
Is this just thought or thinking controlling you? All the things you describe take time and attention. Does being fully present take time? Could the absence of all the things you describe occur when you are present to what is? Rather than working at it. Poof! Is it the difference between becoming and being? I'm sorry if none of this makes sense. Just be! Not try to become! Poof! I'm giggling as I write. Do you think I am losing it completely or is this insightful? How can not being fully present prepare one to be fully present? Krishnamurti describes the state of "choiceless awareness" as having no boundaries, intention or thought. That's the closest I can come to explaining.
Finding a hobby to do at home as downtime has been a game changer in creating time away from digital activities. I started watercoloring and can easily spend an hour+ in a flow state without thinking about my phone or checking social media. I love your comment about reading 100 books but not readying anything. I listen to a lot of info-rich podcasts while I'll walk and drive and honestly, I am hearing the information but don't really feel like I'm LEARNING it. Anyways, thanks for the great read!
I also started watercolouring last year, and the focus you need is so fulfilling and so different from writing. I am enjoying it very much!
Thanks Chelsey! Yes totally - same with podcasts for me. It's interesting to because when I multi-task I usually do so to 'make the most of time' but the outcome is that I wasted at least some of it because there's no retention 😅 And yay on the watercolor! Isn't it so special to have activities where time stands still and flies by at the same time?? For me it's been embroidery lately. It's so meditative.
Thanks for this reminder. I recently did a digital detox where I completely avoided screens after 5pm and before 9am for a week. It was a beautiful experience. I noticed so many differences - better sleep, a more peaceful mind, deeper connections with my partner. Screens are robbing us of so much...
I love that! What's in the way of making it the default? (Also wondering: how could I try this? 😇)
Self-discipline, and the addictive pull of the online world! 🙃 I do recommend trying it though 😊
Last year I spent a week with only minimal access to a cellphone, and that impression still lingers in my mind every time I'm mindlessly looking for that dopamine hit. This is a very useful list!
Glad you found it helpful, Sara! These times offline are so helpful in showing us another way (and have been instrumental in motivating me to make changes 😇)
This was a timely and helpful post Julia. Thank you. Really enjoyed it
Thank you Jason, so glad you've found it helpful! 🙏😊
Great suggestions!
Thanks Robert! 🙏
I’m so happy I found your substack! I got
offline a little over a year ago but recently found myself checking instagram on my browser. I have since gone back to strict restrictions of not using but this article was the extra reminder I needed to get stay consistent with this routine!
Hi Isabella, so great to connect! I feel you on this... every few months I slowly get sucked into it again, only to soon be reminded why I want to stay away. But that's still so much better than not even trying to stay off! It's a practice 🙏
These are so helpful. I've been turning to mindless scrolling lately as a way to dissociate from the grief of the fires, but at the same time, the social media scrolling is making me more upset about the fires. I need to put limits on the scrolling, it sucks up too much of my day, especially when I'm getting ready in the morning.
Glad to hear it, Elizabeth! It was exactly the same case for me with social media & the fires. As I mentioned I think it's so important to cut ourselves a break in light of a natural disaster, but it definitely showed me what doom scrolling does to my brain 😶🌫️
for sure, i’ve been feeling so “crunchy” lately because I’m not giving myself space to be alone to process my thoughts
I found this article extremely beneficial. I think many of us know we want and should lean into offline (I am distressed at my low attention span for reading yet I want to ingest and respond to good thinking that has taken time to create rather than snippets) and sometimes creative ideas on the how aren't so easy to find. You present a plethora of possibilities. I particularly like the one about taking on a craft. Cross-stitching and paint my number are calling my name. What a journey.
Hi Alison, so glad to hear you've found it helpful! 🥰 I've been really getting into embroidery (a lot of people seem to love punch needle too), I imagine cross-stitching is similarly meditative!
I had to google punch needle! I feel like we had another name for it when I was young but I can't remember - rug hooking? Embroidery is beautiful - causes me a bit of stress so I like the structure of the cross stitch or rug hooking... already feeling more centred thinking about it!
Yes it is basically rug hooking technique from what I know!!
Isn't all the time you focus on this controlling you and your attention? What would happen if you "noticed" "what is?" in each moment?
Hi Bruce, I'm not sure I fully understand your question - are you asking if my attempts to lower my screen time are controlling me? It's quite the opposite. Once I put these things and habits into place I felt much less pulled to my phone and was able to be present with what is in the real world a lot better 😇
Is this just thought or thinking controlling you? All the things you describe take time and attention. Does being fully present take time? Could the absence of all the things you describe occur when you are present to what is? Rather than working at it. Poof! Is it the difference between becoming and being? I'm sorry if none of this makes sense. Just be! Not try to become! Poof! I'm giggling as I write. Do you think I am losing it completely or is this insightful? How can not being fully present prepare one to be fully present? Krishnamurti describes the state of "choiceless awareness" as having no boundaries, intention or thought. That's the closest I can come to explaining.