THEORY:
When replacing any not-so-great habit, you need to have healthier options at hand. Invest in learning new hobbies, reading books, creating art, exercising, spending time in nature, and connecting with people in person. Immersing yourself in slower, intentional activities calms the brain while stretching your attention span. When you then return to your device, you’re more likely to do it in a healthful way. “When we’re stressed, we often look at our phones as a reflexive thing—we’re trying to change the channel in our minds,” says Anya Kamenetz, author of “The Art of Screen Time.” “Can you replace that habit with something that’s going to be a little more restorative?”- Excerpt from the blog link above
ACTION:
It is very embarrassing to admit that the hours I spend weekly on my phone equals to a full time job. 35 to 40 hours per week scrolling YouTube, Pep.ph and Google. It is not because I have nothing to do, it is actually the opposite. There are so many things I want to do.
I know I shouldn’t be mindlessly browsing but I couldn’t help it. I am definitely addicted to it. I usually do it to help myself relax or enjoy for a few minutes before I start the important but harder tasks of the day like my lessons in French, household chores or the book I wanted to read . The minutes turn to hours and before I know it, I have repeated the same cycle multiple times and it is already the end of the day. So then I hate myself for giving in to the temptation of being hooked to my phone and I beat myself up for not checking off all the tasks I have set out to do that day. I promise myself that tomorrow, for sure, I will not fall into this trap again. But, I am so weak and once again my phone wins. No will power is strong enough to conquer my phone addiction.
Let’s do the math, if I am browsing my phone for 35 hours a week, multiply that by 52 weeks, that means I am on my phone 1,820 hours in a year! Let’s just say, 1/3 of that is for valid reasons such as answering text messages from family and friends or chatting with my family over Facetime or researching something for work etc. So I am left with 1,213 hours for just random browsing. If I am awake 16 hours a day, that means, I am wasting about 76 days! So, for more than 2 months in a year, I am on my phone switching from YouTube to Instagram and whatever else that will temporarily entertain me and keep my mind off the things that I have planned to do with my life!
It gets worse, this has been going on for years. Maybe even 10 years. So, 76 days x 10 years equals 760 days or 25 months!. In the last 10 years, I have spent 2 years mindlessly browsing my phone!
Just making this calculation makes me want to vomit. What a waste of time. Well, I guess I was entertained. Indeed, I was. But oh my! Imagine how many books I would have read and how many languages I would have been fluent in for that amount of time.
This has to change. There’s no way I will be proud of my life if this continues.
In the above link by consumerreports.org, I will apply their suggestion of arming myself with alternatives:
I will read a topic about my profession after every shift.
I will learn to speak French.
I will improve my fluency in English by reading fiction books.
I will read self-help books.
I will declutter the house.
I downloaded the Refocus app. I blocked my most used apps which are Youtube and Pep.ph for 24 hours everyday of the week. My sister has the password and I told her not to give it to me even if I insisted.
Usually in the morning when I wake up, or during the day when I am getting tired with my to do’s or at night before sleeping, I would check my phone and go on YouTube or Pep.ph. Instead, from now on, I will read a book downloaded on the Libby app on my phone. So, even if I keep reading for a long time, at least I get my reading done. If I get tired of reading, my other option is to open the Mango app for my French lessons.
At the end of every day, I plan to allow myself 30 minutes of entertainment screen time. I will set an alarm and will try to stick by it. We’ll see how that goes.
I am so excited what I will accomplish at the end of this challenge. I would like this year to look better than last year.
RESULT:
Ongoing progress…..
SELF-HELP BOOKS READ:
July 21 to July 24 – Do not be true to yourself by Kevin DeYoung
After a week of using the Refocus app, I have reduced my screen time from 40 hours to 23 hours! I am so proud! That’s an impressive improvement. But, since I no longer have access to Youtube and Pep.ph, I have switched to browsing Yahoo news. I will give myself another week to see if I can’t control myself just randomly browsing Yahoo news then I will block Safari as well even just from 9pm to 9am. I tend to browse my phone mindlessly before going to bed or right after waking up. My reason for this is, I want to “rest my mind” after a full day of thinking or relax for a few minutes before my full day of mental work starts. But, I only end up consuming random information that does not help me achieve the goals I have set.
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