Digital Detox
4:45 am.
That's when my 1.5-year-old walked into my room with my 3-year-old trotting behind him.
It's too early for this.
I grabbed my phone to check my emails.
"Oh yeah, I'm not doing that today."
Instead, I bring The Sirs (my nickname for my two boys) to the kitchen to help start my coffee. I've been awake for about 10 (or less?) minutes, and I've had to remind myself not to check my phone about 10 times (or more?) so far. Why is it so hard?
Once the coffee does its job and my brain and body accept that our day is starting before 5am, putting the phone away feels a lot more manageable. I make breakfast and start planning for our day.
As I use the last egg, I realize I need to go to the grocery store. Let me look at some dinner ideas on - oh yeah... I pack up The Sirs and head to the store with a small paper list. We look around and decide what we want for dinner based on what looks good.
The day goes smooth. We go for walks, make our own music, and paint from our imagination.
Da gets home around 3pm and I see him checking his phone (he often comes home early from the office but still has to work on his phone). I get annoyed when he gets distracted and finds himself on Reddit. I have to remind myself he's not on a detox from the digital world.
At the end of the night I wanted nothing more but to scroll mindlessly through Instagram reels. But instead, I read a book. I haven't done that in a while. It was nice.
I probably won't detox again for a while - I like the convenience of the internet for ideas and entertainment. But, I'd say it was a success and made me appreciate life with and without the internet.
Maybe I don't need to check those emails first thing in the morning.
Hi Kaley!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you challenged yourself to go on a digital detox, which is very challenging for us, who are very active with our devices. I actually went on a fast from just social media a few months ago and realized that it was the primary way I used my phone and not to communicate with others mostly. My cell phone usage decreased dramatically, and I wanted to go on TikTok and Instagram, my favorite apps.
With the email aspect, I relate to checking it too much and have let my work time blend into my personal life. It is something I'm working on being better about.
Hi Kenia,
ReplyDeleteI love this post! You do a great job creating a visual of your day. I love that you and the "sirs" (adorable nickname, by the way) were able to live life a little differently for 24 hours. I also appreciate the convenience of technology, but I also appreciate the things that happen when I step away for a while. I am starting my detox tonight. Wish me luck!
I applaud your commitment to the detox. With a family, I'm sure there were additional challenges. I haven't completed the challenge, but my interest is piqued. While I'm sure there are aspects that are refreshing, I think I am more likely to agree that the convenience and entertainment is too good to pass on most of the time.
ReplyDelete