I recently started spending less time in front of screens than I normally do. This is largely the result of going out on Saturday mornings and playing sports with my friends. Whenever I do that, I tend to leave my phone off to the side so it doesn’t slow me down or get damaged. Then I get engrossed in the game and forget about checking social media, text messages, or anything else on my phone. Since I’ve been going out regularly on Saturday mornings, I realized how nice it is to get a break from screens.
It helps to be engaged in a fun activity with friends. This includes playing sports, dancing, juggling, or just enjoying each other’s company. Most of the time I check my phone, it’s because I’m bored, anxious, lonely, or anticipating something specific such as a message or phone call from someone I know. As long as I’m having fun and being in the present moment, I’m not concerned with what’s going on elsewhere in the world or in another part of my life.
Whenever I took a shower, I used to put my phone on the counter by the sink so I could check it as soon as I got out. However, ever since I started noticing (subconsciously at first, I think) how refreshing it is to be away from screens, I’ve started leaving my phone elsewhere in the house. At first, I would rush to get back to it and see what I had missed. Over time, however, I’ve become more relaxed and been less concerned with the possibility of missing out on something.
I don’t know why exactly I started doing this, but I think it involved me getting tired of seeing so much negative stuff online. Now I have my phone set to show me more positive stuff and less negative stuff, but I still find myself spending less time mindlessly surfing the internet or scrolling through different websites. A lot of online activities are repetitive and predictable, which are quite boring now that I know the patterns. Spending less time in front of screens has helped me relax and enjoy more of the fun moments in life that I can easily miss when I’m starting at a screen. There’s a more stuff I enjoy doing in the real world than in the digital world, and I’d much rather miss something trivial online than miss something major in my life.