Sometimes I get too caught up in social media, and I've noticed it makes me feel bad. I bought a tent recently and had been thinking about camping. I thought about what it would be like to have no phone or technology or anything from a day or two while camping. It seemed like it might be a good mental reset. Maybe on Sunday I would do no technology the whole day, but that seemed ridiculous when I woke up in the morning.
I finally decided to just set a timer for an hour in the evening and do no technology for that hour. No Facebook, Instagram, etc. I didn't have the rules laid out firmly in my head but I had a general idea. A lose interpretation was I could use no technology that didn't exist before the year 2000. I didn't have to be a stickler for that as long as it was in the spirit. For instance listening to a podcast on my headphones was the same as a radio.
I sat on my bed and read for a little while, then I picked up the guitar and started learning how to play a new song by memory which I hadn't done for years. I also did something I hadn't done in a very long time, I just sat on my bed and did nothing but think for a little while. Maybe 10 minutes. I didn't have anything to distract me, and it occurred to me, sitting and doing nothing for a few minutes was something that I used to do all the time in my youth. It was an old familiar experience I hadn't had in a very long time. I felt like I was a kid again.
I felt like I was on some kind of mini vacation. It was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I didn't have to worry about anything happening on social media, or if there were any new Instagram posts to look at.
The next night I set the timer for two hours. The next night 4 hours. As the week went by I got really excited everyday for my 6pm-10pm block.
The kinds of things I eliminate during this period are any activity that I don't have the ability to complete. So clicking on Youtube videos endlessly, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, etc. Catching up with movies, finishing books, tv shows, practicing instruments, writing, etc. This is where I dedicate my time during this period. I would consider myself to be a very light user of social media in general, but even so there is some part of my brain that always has a passing interest. I've also spent more time calling friends, making interesting new recipes, etc.
You ever wonder how you're going to spend your time when you retire? Gardening? Reading? You can do it tonight. If you don't allocate a time to get all those things you've always wanted to do you wont get them done. My schedule has become Mon-Thurs 6pm-10pm.