It's been a month and a half since I logged out of Instagram and Facebook. In addition to these socials, I haven't even been listening to podcasts because of the yearly accumulation of information overwhelm and opinion overload [I usually listen to podcasts at work and now I am allowing my brain to breathe]. Enjoying it so much that I am exploring ways to spend even less time online. I feel like my work steals time from me, Instagram and Facebook attempt to get my attention, and I remember so many hours wasted at school learning useless topics that it seems like a radical rebellion to aim my attention elsewhere.
Wrote down two columns composed of what I used to do online and then what I am honestly doing on it [with overlap because some I am still doing]. But with other activities, I crossed those off so that I can focus on more important activities that will get me closer to my ideal day.
I have a goal of 6 hours a day screen-time [learning a language, searching/downloading/printing piano sheet music, & copywriting]. I don't read as many blogs or articles anymore. The only online reading material I want to consume right now is related to copywriting and sustainability, specifically eco-lifestyle and ecotourism. I have a stack of books in my room, on my Apple Books TBR list, and recommended titles from a few of my favorite writers that I would rather consume. Last year and at the start of this year, I read blog posts & articles I saved on Pocket when I was still on social media. And I have exposed myself to so much information and possibilities through podcast listening [since 2017], that I just want to implement what I've learned instead of stagnating in a continual consumption cycle. For music, I still listen to synthwave, foreign pop music, and ambient tunes on Spotify.
I was actually off of social media before [sometime in 2021 until the summer of 2022] but I went back on it to follow what a couple people I had just met were posting. Now I would rather have them just tell me what is going on in their lives. For me, it's exciting to share perspectives, imagine their story, and feel special because what they are disclosing to me is personalized.
On the net, I want to be writing copy for eco-conscious brands the majority of the time. Primarily copywrite for my clients offline in plain-text file. Taking notes in plain text files is something that I am experimenting with. I know I will be having to do research for copywriting, further extending my time on the net. Upping my language levels & building up 'Small Sustainable Learning' and 'Small Sustainable Notes' [including its presence on LinkedIn] are the secondary and third activities.
But I want to get even more radical and take a break from films & tv right now as well. This detox has made me realize just how much of the internet buzz in my life that I have allowed before does not appear to matter as much to my personal life as I originally thought. I am enjoying the feeling of missing out, but I want to miss out even more by not even being in the loop of what is playing in the theaters, streaming on tv, streaming on free movie sites. I enjoy not knowing the trends on social media, and I don't miss the emotion of disappointment when I didn't see comments & likes on my photos, not getting direct messages.
I am not saying the internet & podcasts should not exist, but based on what I know about myself, it's better for me to cut out the internet clutter in an extreme manner.
I feel proud of the progress I've made in my personal tasks and projects since being off of Instagram and Facebook. Spending 10+hrs consuming 3 online copywriting courses so far, attending local meetups, blogging, discovering my personal motivations for reducing screen time [burnout, information overwhelm, decision fatigue], starting to commute by bike to work, reading a paper book from the library, audiobook listening, organizing iCloud files and folders, practicing piano.