Compared to last week, this one has been more challenging. I am not sure why other than it is really setting in that my phone addiction is real and I need to find something else to occupy my time. It is almost like I am mourning those breaks from reality that I used to take when I frequently grabbed my phone and scrolled social media. This past week, I have noticed moments where I have grabbed my phone and refreshed the few apps I have (meaning, my call log and text messages) almost as a way to cope. How silly is that?! How crazy to think that many of us spend most of our waking hours in a digital world, rather than the physical world around us. It is like our online personas have encompassed our lives and stolen us away from what truly matters. Most of it also comes down to, I am bored and need to find something else to occupy my time because scrolling my phone ain’t gonna cut it honey.
Here is what I have learned during the second week of my 30-Day Digital Declutter:
The temptation is real. I am telling ya, if Instagram was on my phone, I would have caved by now. The. Temptation. Is. REAL. And it all comes down to boredom. I am hopeful that the longer my declutter goes, the temptation will die down and I will have developed healthier habits when I feel boredom.
I have a willpower reserve that I did not realize I had. When I committed to doing this declutter, I realized I had committed to a blog tour post in December. I made the decision to keep this commitment but do so in a way that would not derail me. Last weekend, created the content for the post and on the post day, I downloaded Instagram, posted and shared the content, then promptly logged off and deleted the app. Where did this willpower come from?!?! For those of you who know me, willpower does not come to me when it comes to certain things, especially food like chocolate, salty chips, and butter (don’t ask me how many butter packets I used to put on a baked potato.) I was so proud of myself for resisting the urge to check my notifications and DMs that I texted Rachel @bookmamareviews to tell her about my willpower. This was a victory in my book!
Others around me are beginning to reflect on and/or change their technology habits. This has been one of the coolest parts of doing this declutter. I have noticed my husband has been leaving his phone on the nightstand when we spend evenings with our kiddos and my best friend told me the other day that she deleted all the non-essential apps off her cell phone. I am incredibly impressed and excited to see that some of my loved ones are feeling inspired by my challenge.
The FOMO is gone. I no longer feel like I am missing out on anything, which was a feeling that I carried last week, and it feels great! I mean, what was/am I really missing out on? Just because I'm not sharing the books I am reading, doesn't mean I am not reading them. And if I don't share my book mail for a few weeks, guess what, it'll still be there waiting for me. :) And all that celebrity gossip? If it is that important, I'll find it out eventually. Current events? I have taken to checking my news sources once a day on my computer so I am up to date, but not overwhelmed with information and bad news.
This week has flown by and I have been taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather we have here in Wisconsin. I am so used to harshly cold temps and blizzards, so this 40 degree/snow free December is a pleasant surprise. My week has been full of lunchtime walks with my pup and yoga classes at my local fitness center, as well as holiday gift shopping (thank you for online ordering, delivery and drive up services!) My friend sent me this article ("The NY Times: Do Not Disturb: How I ditched my phone and unbroke my brain") as well and it is worth the read. Check it out when you have a few moments.
I am #currentlyreading Betty by Tiffany McDaniel and still listening to the audiobook for Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo. Betty might be one of my favorite books of 2020. This coming of age story set in the foothills of the Appalachians about the trials and challenges women face throughout every stage of life is powerful and has kept me entranced all week. I have also had to keep the tissues handy because this is a heavy one.
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