Harriet's Epic Quest: Escape the Infinite Scroll

[Harriet]

Just now, Elastigirl said:

Hmmm, interesting . I hadn't thought of it that way.  But, I see the point. If every time I get a little bored, I reach for my phone and scroll something, my brain never has time  to ponder.  Most the time on my walks I don't listen to anything. I think that's why I like walking, it gives my brain that free space.

 

Yeah I have this intuition that we need a little boredom (or more charitably, empty time) to start generating the impulse to plan and move and do stuff. I think hectically cramming entertainment and information into my brain all the time is anaesthetising. 

[Elastigirl]

Just now, Harriet said:

 

Yeah I have this intuition that we need a little boredom (or more charitably, empty time) to start generating the impulse to plan and move and do stuff. I think hectically cramming entertainment and information into my brain all the time is anaesthetising. 

I agree. I believed this very strongly as a parent. I made sure not overschedule my son  ( it seems some kids have so many activities they never have time to just play) But, I haven't really faced reality with it when it comes to my screen time

[Harriet]

9 minutes ago, Elastigirl said:

I agree. I believed this very strongly as a parent. I made sure not overschedule my son  ( it seems some kids have so many activities they never have time to just play) But, I haven't really faced reality with it when it comes to my screen time

 

Could be worth a try? I guess we don't really know what we'll be like with less internet unless we try it. Maybe it won't make a big difference or maybe it will.

[Harriet]

Update

Well the internet blocks have been in place for almost seven months now, and it's going fine. I can use internet on my phone for about 15 minutes a day, which is not much, and I have three hours of browsing in the evening, only after 5pm and before 9pm. That leaves most of the day free from compulsive internet use, and while I have not transformed into a totally different person, there have been some improvements. 

 

Before the escape, I complained of the following

 

• greatly exacerbating my mental fatigue: I feel a bit less mentally frazzled
• creating a sense of mental burnout: I still need a lot of rest but this has reduced a bit
• crowding out more valuable activities: I have indeed added more painting, German, and exercise.
• reducing my tolerance for activities requiring focus and effort: I guess I find it easier to do my art, now, so this has improved somewhat.
• sedating me so that I’m less motivated to improve my life: I think this has improved, too.
• creating a baseline feeling of dissatisfaction that encourages reward seeking: I am still addicted to sugar and food. I drink less, though.
• interfering with sleep: I have been sleeping well! There may be multiple causes, but this could be one.
• increasing my baseline anxiety, depression, and agitation: I think my mood has been okay, but definitely not perfect.
• making me spend more money as I discover things I “need”: I have definitely spent less money.
• crowding out quiet time without input that is needed for reflection: I haven't really improved here, as I just swapped internet for books and podcasts, mostly on health, which is soo boring but I'm addicted and endlessly hopeful that I will find the miracle cure for my fatigue.
• shortcircuiting the normal progression from boredom to motivation to activity: I still use books and podcasts to avoid boredom
• making me more sedentary: I think I am moving around more
• making me more boring; Hmmm I might be more interesting if I read better books and listened to better podcasts
• making me more impatient: I might be more patient now, hard to say.
• stuffing my brain with low quality input, which ruins creativity: I have not transformed into a creative genius, but my brain feels less stuffed with junk
• unbalancing my input/output ratio, which leads to an imbalanced mind and life: I have been painting more, so that's an improvement

 

So overall, there are loads of improvements, but I could still improve two things. Firstly, I want to swap my stupid health book/podcast addiction for novels and nonfiction podcasts on interesting things. Secondly, I need some time without input to be mindful and/or bored. I'm currently using the sauna for the latter, since apparently I am incapable of enforcing it without outside help. For the podcasts and novels, I might need to schedule them in my bujo as deliberate tasks. 

 

Overall, it's a massive win. I still use internet at night, but I have time to do other things during the day, and my brain is less buzzing with confusing junk noise. 

[Elastigirl]

Great insights. That is very interesting. And motivating for me to  curtail my screen usage. The sauna seems like a good time just chill without input.

[Sea-to-sky]

13 hours ago, Harriet said:

For the podcasts and novels, I might need to schedule them in my bujo as deliberate tasks.

I would recommend going on something like goodreads and having a dig around whatever fiction section interests you til you find something you want to read.  There is nothing worse than forcing yourself to read a book you have no interest in. 
 

[Harriet]

17 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

The sauna seems like a good time just chill without input.

 

Yeah apparently I am incapable of choosing to just sit without input, so the sauna is good. I wonder if I can work other "just sit" or "no input" times into my day.

 

6 hours ago, Sea-to-sky said:

I would recommend going on something like goodreads and having a dig around whatever fiction section interests you til you find something you want to read.  There is nothing worse than forcing yourself to read a book you have no interest in. 

 

I think I want to read a variety of things I wouldn't choose for myself, though, to broaden my experiences. So I'm looking for more of a diverse list or regular recommendations. Currently just picking up tips from the New York Times since they do a lot of recommends. 

[Elastigirl]

54 minutes ago, Harriet said:

Yeah apparently I am incapable of choosing to just sit without input, so the sauna is good. I wonder if I can work other "just sit" or "no input" times into

I find that super hard too! Walking is my no input. Obviously, that's not sitting. But the movement helps free me to think. Sometimes when I'm gardening, but sometimes I listen to podcasts.. Sometimes, I take micro 10 minute naps during the day, which is just me laying down setting the timer for 10-15 minutes, and not listening to anything. Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I just decompress.

[Sea-to-sky]

1 hour ago, Harriet said:

Currently just picking up tips from the New York Times since they do a lot of recommends. 

Trying to read new genres at the moment too. I have been surfing the news articles and things on good reads. Like this one on fantasy books. good for finding picks. 

The Readers choice awards also is a good place to pick up lots of different genre choices. 
 

The martian by andy weir and also all systems red by martha wells are awesome scifi books that are 100% worth checking out. 

 

[Harriet]

On 7/14/2024 at 6:19 PM, Sea-to-sky said:

Trying to read new genres at the moment too. I have been surfing the news articles and things on good reads. Like this one on fantasy books. good for finding picks. 

The Readers choice awards also is a good place to pick up lots of different genre choices. 
 

The martian by andy weir and also all systems red by martha wells are awesome scifi books that are 100% worth checking out. 

 

 

Oh, splendid, it looks like they have multiple categories, too! Thank you.

[Harriet]

On 7/14/2024 at 6:06 PM, Elastigirl said:

I find that super hard too! Walking is my no input. Obviously, that's not sitting. But the movement helps free me to think. Sometimes when I'm gardening, but sometimes I listen to podcasts.. Sometimes, I take micro 10 minute naps during the day, which is just me laying down setting the timer for 10-15 minutes, and not listening to anything. Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I just decompress.

I really struggle with walking without my music or podcasts. Or just lying down and doing nothing. Alas. Does it help you noticeably?

[Sea-to-sky]

1 hour ago, Harriet said:

Oh, splendid, it looks like they have multiple categories, too! Thank you

No worries. 
flicking back to different years is also a good shout. Between the two ive ended up with quite a list ( historical and scifi stuff are what im having a bash at first. Also cozy novels). You can also go into most of the big fiction categories (under the browse button) and there will be a huge list of best in that genre stuff. 
i also use the listopia lists on there but you can search by any tag group as well and get a good wack of books. Like this list of cozy fantasy books

 

all in all very useful site

[Sea-to-sky]

1 hour ago, Harriet said:

Oh, splendid, it looks like they have multiple categories, too! Thank you.

Woops, gave wrong link. Here is the one with all the runners up in the different sections for 2023

[Elastigirl]

6 hours ago, Harriet said:

I really struggle with walking without my music or podcasts. Or just lying down and doing nothing. Alas. Does it help you noticeably?

Yes,  it helps me to process the podcasts and information that I have been absorbing. On walks, I can just  think about them, or plan the day,  or daydream.  I feel like  it gives my brain a bit of time to decompress. With the laying down, often I fall asleep, or that half sleep state, if I feel restless and like I can't settle than I get up. Which is one reason that I like that better than meditation.There's no rules about having to be still, it's just if my brain likes it

[Harriet]

16 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

There's no rules about having to be still, it's just if my brain likes it

 

Ah, such wisdom. So I'm not the only person who doesn't love meditation?

[Elastigirl]

36 minutes ago, Harriet said:

 

Ah, such wisdom. So I'm not the only person who doesn't love meditation?

When my son was little, he would fidget a bunch when I was talking to him, so  I told him to be still.  Then, he would be so busy focusing on being still, there was no way he could listen to me. ?That's how meditation feels to me. As soon as I try and force myself to meditate the only thing I can think about is having to be still and somehow shut my brain off.?

[Sovalis]

I suck at meditation and really don’t enjoy it. I prefer guided meditations if I have to do it, but I’ll take a shamanic journey over anything if I am trying to mellow myself out and refresh my brain. I also view walking or making art as moving meditations based on some conversations I had with the Buddhism scholar at my school during my MA. If I can hit a flow state with the art, that’s gold right there. 

[Sea-to-sky]

Things like thai chi, yoga and walking meditations. Other types of moving meditations can be good alternative if you struggle with the staying still. Some people need the flow they give instead of the stationaryness of sitting meditiations, and theres nothing wrong with that. 

[TimovieMan]

1 hour ago, Sea-to-sky said:

Things like thai chi, yoga and walking meditations. Other types of moving meditations can be good alternative if you struggle with the staying still. Some people need the flow they give instead of the stationaryness of sitting meditiations, and theres nothing wrong with that. 

Somehow I feel that this may be why my regular walk around the local lake (the walk next to the water, not the one in the forest surrounding it) has such a calming effect on me? The view lets me shut off my brain and becomes natural meditation???

 

Might need to reflect on this. ?

[Sea-to-sky]

1 hour ago, TimovieMan said:

Somehow I feel that this may be why my regular walk around the local lake (the walk next to the water, not the one in the forest surrounding it) has such a calming effect on me? The view lets me shut off my brain and becomes natural meditation???

For me i found also getting lost in the regular rhythumn of my steps and breath helped me get into the right place mentally. Everyones different though, so finding what works for you is the trick. 
personally i find moving meditiation much easier to reach the right mental space than sitting. Not naturally a sitting still person.