I've noticed that the times I am most prone to falling into the void of social media scrolling are the times when I most need social engagement. As a result, I've been making an effort to notice when I fall into that habit and to interrupt the scrolling by reaching out to a friend for a conversation or outing in the real world. An hour chatting over coffee refills my social needs so much more than an hour of scrolling through strangers' reels on Instagram! I'm not ready to break up with my phone yet, but I am trying to be more mindful of how I use it!
love this post and your writing about it so so much. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, with so much honesty and bravery. At the end of last year I banished instagram back to my old ipad, where I have a timer set for 30 minutes. I'd done this before, and then lapsed for the better part of a year when I thought "oh, I really should be posting more, having it back on my phone will help with that." It didn't, and I found myself doing the exact things you describe, of picking it up mindlessly, finding instagram by habit. Now, when I pick up my phone I open the Washington Post and read the headlines, quickly get bored, and put it back down again.
I also find that I am happier. Reading more books. Making more art!
And, I now find my hope for a feeling of community filled by the Discord group I made for my students. (Discord is a non-social media sharing platform, and I LOVE IT). There are more than 300 people in there now, and while only a handful share regularly, I get so much fulfillment from supporting their creative endeavors and answering questions. I feel grateful every day that I get to do this for part of my job!
This is such a beautiful and timely piece! I am in the early days of breaking up with my cell phone and I can feel the clear, absolute benefits of having my attention back (but wow, aren’t those initial feelings of withdrawal shocking and scary!? Yeesh…) Thank you for sharing your experience!!
That photo is AMAZING -- what a beautiful representation of something so complex. It also reminds me of this photo essay which has always haunted me: https://www.ericpickersgill.com/removed
I've noticed that the times I am most prone to falling into the void of social media scrolling are the times when I most need social engagement. As a result, I've been making an effort to notice when I fall into that habit and to interrupt the scrolling by reaching out to a friend for a conversation or outing in the real world. An hour chatting over coffee refills my social needs so much more than an hour of scrolling through strangers' reels on Instagram! I'm not ready to break up with my phone yet, but I am trying to be more mindful of how I use it!
love this post and your writing about it so so much. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, with so much honesty and bravery. At the end of last year I banished instagram back to my old ipad, where I have a timer set for 30 minutes. I'd done this before, and then lapsed for the better part of a year when I thought "oh, I really should be posting more, having it back on my phone will help with that." It didn't, and I found myself doing the exact things you describe, of picking it up mindlessly, finding instagram by habit. Now, when I pick up my phone I open the Washington Post and read the headlines, quickly get bored, and put it back down again.
I also find that I am happier. Reading more books. Making more art!
And, I now find my hope for a feeling of community filled by the Discord group I made for my students. (Discord is a non-social media sharing platform, and I LOVE IT). There are more than 300 people in there now, and while only a handful share regularly, I get so much fulfillment from supporting their creative endeavors and answering questions. I feel grateful every day that I get to do this for part of my job!
This is such a beautiful and timely piece! I am in the early days of breaking up with my cell phone and I can feel the clear, absolute benefits of having my attention back (but wow, aren’t those initial feelings of withdrawal shocking and scary!? Yeesh…) Thank you for sharing your experience!!
Being in the present moment is a precious gift. Thank you for sharing this reflection!
Love the photos you've shared!
Your post reminded me of this picture + caption from 2015: https://www.instagram.com/p/87_2AGuEXJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
in case it's not clear - it is stained glass reflected on a smartphone
That photo is AMAZING -- what a beautiful representation of something so complex. It also reminds me of this photo essay which has always haunted me: https://www.ericpickersgill.com/removed