Crimes I committed against my phone, and many other tidbits
Dear Reader,
This post is to express my truth and seek justice for the violence I inflicted on my phone.
It all started one evening when I decided to track my Digital Well-being application, and after discovering how much time I spent on my phone, I decided to take drastic measures to end this toxic relationship. It was difficult to live without the convenience of an object that eliminates boredom. But it also allowed me to rediscover my passions and have free time to do things that add value to my life.
My housemates are shocked because they keep finding my phone in the most unexpected places. 🤣
So, how about you? Do you have control over your phone, or does it have control over you?
It's okay if you're having trouble; these apps were created to keep us in the loop. So, before you start beating yourself up, keep in mind that we all started somewhere, and those who started were just like you. If you have more control, congratulations, and I hope my story has given you more ideas on how to improve your process.
Since having it around made me prone to lose focus, I began to keep my phone in the bathroom. No, seriously, I coined the phrase "My phone is full of shit, so of course she needs to use the restroom."
Throughout the winter exam period, she spent more time in the loo than with me
This, my friends, is only the beginning. I get anxious when I miss calls; my family lives in another country, so I started leaving a message for them when my phone is in "Do Not Disturb" mode or turned off. So, if you're concerned about your parents, let them know; I believe it will make them feel valued because you took the time to update them. My mother definitely appreciated it as I would frequently turn off my phone while studying to avoid using during breaks, because it is never just 2 minutes.
I disabled all my notifications. This is my favorite discovery; even after I deleted the apps that promote doom-scrolling, I still missed using them; they were occasionally entertaining. So I began using them on Chrome because the ease of use for a bulky app on a browser is severely limited. But, after a while, I grew accustomed to it and would sometimes spend 45 minutes on it! My brain is too determined to find solace in the fabricated reality of living. I had been using time-limit feature for apps in general, but I have now extended it to specific websites as well.I was clear that 5 minutes per day on social media was more than enough.
I recently disabled my WhatsApp message notification. This means that you won't know you received the text until you open the app. This is truly life-changing because I realized I could limit my availability online, if it wasn't urgent people preferred to text over calling for simple things. I was able to maintain better boundaries in my interactions and had more energy during important conversations. Although immediate availability is appealing, I know now, that if there is an emergency, the person will most likely call. Again, let your close friends and family know about this if you are primarily a texter, perhaps set it as your Whatsapp status bar, it is entirely up to you. I guarantee you will reclaim a lot of time.
If you recall from my previous post, I commute 45 minutes to and from university, and I remember getting frustrated and getting a mild headache from scrolling on my phone. To avoid staring at the phone I started listening to podcasts, and on days when I forget my earphones, I set mini goals for myself, such as waiting 6 stops before picking up the phone, observing the clothing styles of daily bus riders, listening to background talk, and learning new Italian words. To be honest, it only works 50-60% of the time, which I think I prefer to 100% screen time.
Do you put your phone next to your pillow before you go to bed? If your phone serves as your alarm clock, I believe you are setting yourself up for failure. I have failed to get up at the intended time 95 percent of the time since I could easily snooze my phone. So I started keeping her on my desk, 5 steps away from my bed, and I swear sometimes I am a pain, even to myself, but hey, I wake up on time 100 % of the time and am delighted to be up early after a cup of coffee.
Update! I moved my phone to a new location since I didn't want it to get wet. I began storing it in the top cabinet of my kitchen, with other forbidden pleasures like coffee and sugar. I am a short person, so I can barely reach it and I like optimising the difficulty level of reaching my phone. To be honest, this feels more like a fun to me than a feeling of pressure. I believe it keeps my life exciting and sharpens the edges of my willpower, but more significantly, it allows me to devote time and energy to other activities. As a matter of fact, to be able to write this blog. I started typing this 10 minutes after I got up, having only washed my teeth, drank a glass of water, and spent 5 minutes deciding what to study today.
It was motivated by two people: one who pushed me to write more frequently and create lengthier articles, and the other who inquired as to how I was making time for various activities lately.
I'd also like to thank my best buddy, who serves as my accountability partner and has always provided excellent ideas on how to increase my productivity in my phone usage.
The time you will recapture will remind you of the things you would rather do, and what better way to spend time than on one's hobbies?
Actually, I am quite passionate about having control over my schedule. I'd been sick a lot this year, which sapped a lot of my energy; I discovered food intolerances and, at times, weather allergies, so I needed to know I wasn't throwing away the opportunity that I'd worked so hard for. True, we think traveling abroad is exciting, but the challenge is significantly higher than we signed up for.
If you are an international student or a student attempting to be productive in the digital age, I am extremely proud of you.
We can accomplish it, one step at a time, and with the mentality that failing is perfectly alright.
I'll sign off for the day with a smile..
See you soon.
Ciao Ciao.
Sincerely, Lykha