This isn’t going to be easy.
On January 1, I started “The Offline Project”, with the goal of greatly limiting my screen time. See here for the initial set up and rules.
Day 1, I hardly glanced at my phone. I felt notably less frazzled and more present.
Then the rest of the week happened.
Day 2, a visitor got lost on the way to my house. I was glued to my phone for hours trying to help them.
Day 3, I got entangled in drama and spent far too much time texting.
The rest of the week, I stopped following my resolution to keep my phone in a safe. I reverted to checking my phone whenever. Taking care of a toddler can be monotonous, and the phone is a portal to social life. I also got sucked into scrolling in the evenings far too often.
This week taught me that two of my primary triggers for getting sucked into my phone are stress and boredom.
But all is not lost! I successfully did a screen free Saturday yesterday. From 9pm Friday night to 5pm Saturday evening, I didn’t check my phone at all. I spent the day with my husband and toddler. Most of the time, I didn’t even know where my phone was, which was key. It’s a lot easier to limit screen time when my phone is literally hidden, rather than relying on willpower to not check it when it’s in my pocket.
I’m not changing the project rules. I still want to check my phone rarely, and screen-free Saturdays are important to me. But, so much of our lives are conducted in the digital realm— whether social interaction, research, or getting things done. So I’m going to have to account for this in some further strategies.
Even in person, life is often augmented by the digital. I was reminded of this at my toddler’s gymnastics class. Everyone had their phone out, documenting their little one’s every move. It felt intrusive. It bothered me that strangers were taking videos that included my child in them. And it was kind of sad.
Further Strategies I’m Implementing This Week To Limit My Screen time:
Keep the phone safe hidden in my husband’s office.
Tell the people I regularly interact with that I’m trying to limit my screen time so I may not text them back right away
Accept the 80/20 principle. There are times, such as when someone is lost, that I’ll need to be on my phone more than I want to. But if I’m following the rules at least 80% of the time, that’s fine.
Plan better—books, activities and daily outings. When I’m engaged in something, it’s easier to avoid my phone.
Favorite Offline Things I Did This Week
Finished two books I had been reading for a while (“Bomb Shelter” and “The Importance of Being Little”)
Attended a “Circle of Security Parenting” group
Went out for tacos with my toddler and husband
Made muffins
Took a short family hike in our neighborhood woods
Had dinner with an out of town family member
Got some books at the library that I’m excited about
Revisited the novel I’m writing
Went to a farmer’s market
Off to get some cleaning and organizing done!
Carpe Diem,
Kim