Screen relationships

 I recently got an interesting book from the library called "How to Break Up with your Phone". I realized I've been too glued to my screens: both phone and iPad. The book recognizes that phone have wonderful capabilities, but not all phone usage is good (or healthy). I'm not planning on giving up Google Maps, or my recipe app, 2FA, or learning using YouTube. And I just love having an awesome little camera always in my pocket. 

The book has a bunch of exercises to help me recognize what things on my phone aren't really helping me. Teasing apart the good from the not so good has been helpful. The book had me consciously stop after I use my phone and examine how I feel, for me I realized social media in the form of Facebook and Instagram are kinda downers. I don't really like all the 'like' homework, it feels bad when I don't like all my friends posts, 'Like' has almost become 'yeah, I saw this'. Birthdays definitely feel less special when everyone is reminded by Facedork to "Wish Fred a happy birthday". I know I've tended to post when I have something good to share, but that leads to a curated, overly positive view into my life. The book also helped me realize I tend to pick up my phone when I'm looking for an easy distraction, and then I'll get sucked into endless scrolling. 

Another thing I found is that phone notifications really bother me. I don't like having real life interrupted quite so much. So I cranked way down on what I allow to actually interrupt me. 

I'm still using my phone lots and lots, but I'm limiting my time on social media, getting fewer distracting push notifications, and trying to catch myself when I grab my phone with no real purpose other than to get an easy distraction.