A tough part of this is that what I am craving when I pick up my phone, especially after 8 pm when my kid is in bed, is social connection. Apps easily allow for a form of social connection through dms, comments, seeing what other people post, etc. Obviously our phones have rewired our brains that we crave this social connection so much more and yet the connection it provides is shallow compared to IRL hangouts and such. I think there are deeper things at the root here - mostly capitalism and the 8 hour work day - that prevent what I am seeking.
I am the same, re connection, it’s such a tricky, confusing, manipulation of my brain which isn’t nearly evolved enough to manage this new world I live in.
Re: connection. I am trying to just call people more often: my mom, my sister, my best friend from college—even if it’s just five minutes.
Drawing in the Right Side of the Brain is a great book—and drawing is a great leisure time activity. For the less artistically inclined I find those adult coloring book delightful.
Other ideas: puzzles, crosswords, magazines, reading cookbooks for leisure, making a killer playlist, putting together cute outfits, audiobooks, making healthy snacks for the week, organizing something, stretching.
I also find I have these tiny pockets of time - 5 minutes waiting for water to boil - 10 mins before pickup - and I tend to scroll the most in those moments...
I read in "168 Hours" by Laura Vanderkam about one mom who reads aloud to her twin boys during the 5-10 mins they're waiting in the car for school drop-off. I was so impressed by that. It takes planning to ensure you have a book on hand, but apparently they make their way through a surprising number of books over the course of the school year. Vanderkam also said she has a habit of doing plank holds while reheating coffee in the microwave!
Yes, my time now seems more truncated and so the quick visits seem to provide those social connections and be efficient. When it's warmer I find I use my phone for scrolling less. Spring is coming!
A tough part of this is that what I am craving when I pick up my phone, especially after 8 pm when my kid is in bed, is social connection. Apps easily allow for a form of social connection through dms, comments, seeing what other people post, etc. Obviously our phones have rewired our brains that we crave this social connection so much more and yet the connection it provides is shallow compared to IRL hangouts and such. I think there are deeper things at the root here - mostly capitalism and the 8 hour work day - that prevent what I am seeking.
I am the same, re connection, it’s such a tricky, confusing, manipulation of my brain which isn’t nearly evolved enough to manage this new world I live in.
Yes.
Re: connection. I am trying to just call people more often: my mom, my sister, my best friend from college—even if it’s just five minutes.
Drawing in the Right Side of the Brain is a great book—and drawing is a great leisure time activity. For the less artistically inclined I find those adult coloring book delightful.
Other ideas: puzzles, crosswords, magazines, reading cookbooks for leisure, making a killer playlist, putting together cute outfits, audiobooks, making healthy snacks for the week, organizing something, stretching.
Those are great ideas! I will start incorporating some of them into my daily life. Thanks for sharing.
I also find I have these tiny pockets of time - 5 minutes waiting for water to boil - 10 mins before pickup - and I tend to scroll the most in those moments...
I read in "168 Hours" by Laura Vanderkam about one mom who reads aloud to her twin boys during the 5-10 mins they're waiting in the car for school drop-off. I was so impressed by that. It takes planning to ensure you have a book on hand, but apparently they make their way through a surprising number of books over the course of the school year. Vanderkam also said she has a habit of doing plank holds while reheating coffee in the microwave!
Yes, my time now seems more truncated and so the quick visits seem to provide those social connections and be efficient. When it's warmer I find I use my phone for scrolling less. Spring is coming!