Brooke Gladstone said that we need to get boredom back into our lives. She suggested deleting apps and carving free time into my schedule. So I deleted Facebook and Instagram and tried to carve out time for me (key word: tried). Even after these changes, I did not find myself bored. I often found myself playing games on my phone and looking deeper into some of my other social media apps. Even though I took the steps that Brooke suggested I didn’t notice any difference. So I took another step and downloaded an app called moment to monitor my phone usage. This app tracks the amount of time you spend on your screen a day. It counts the number of phone pick ups and how long you spend on each app. It also has a week long challenge where you set goals and challenge yourself to spend less time with your phone. It starts off with observing yourself, then distancing yourself form your device, not taking photos, to delete an app, take a fakection, observe something else, and to get bored. The first day I spent a total of 3:25 minutes on my phone with over 100 pick ups! I quickly changed my habits and cut down :30 minutes. By day three I had cut my time in half. That’s when I noticed the changes. I was not bored. I did not spend time thinking to myself. Instead I found myself filling my time with the people around me. Instead of taking five to ten minutes to relax on my bed on my phone, I found myself in a friends room talking. The way I observed myself was very different. I felt like I was documenting my life, but no through a camera, but through sheer experience. I want to thank Brooke Gladstone for making me put down my phone and find something to do.
I, too, tried deleting an app, but the goal in mind was not achieved. I just tried to find other ways to procrastinate and kill time. Playing candy crush became more frequent. I really like that idea of getting “moment”. I’m curious as to how much I really use my phone now so I will get the app. Hopefully, I can learn something, just as you did!