Deeming No Socials November a Win

Those who know...

So I figured I should do a wrap-up post.   I followed my social rules through the month completely and have since softened them *very* slightly but honestly, keeping pretty close to it.   Things I found:

- I missed being able to share interesting things, esp if I knew there were people who'd find it interesting but who I don't really have any real in-person contact with

- I did not even slightly miss scrolling, but it took almost the whole month before I stopped picking up my phone any time I was remotely bored.  I'm not thrilled about that so continuing to keep an eye on it.

- I read a lot more, wrote a lot more, and - surprisingly - slept much better?   Not really at all sure how or even if that's connected, but was accurate.   

- I did not, actually, apply any of that extra time for anything that I'd thought I might (you know, the 8000 hobbies I never have enough time to get good enough at to enjoy?) but I also didn't miss it.  So I'm not entirely certain what happened there but I'm okay w that.   More baking and more reading I think pretty much sums it up.

- I don't have instant awareness of what's going on in the world anymore, but I'm okay w that.  Between work and friends I find out what the world is talking about even without the socials.

- The one thing I did miss was seeing updates from my friends who I don't see regularly (incl both those who I only know online and those IRL)

Since the month ended the only thing I've loosened is letting myself post things from non-social world.  We'll see how it goes :).  But so far, I'm feeling it's a much better balance for myself.

Day 2 of No Socials

So - after only two days, I'm getting so much more done but no idea if that’s lack of social media or impact of finally having had enough sleep.  Definitely a little disturbed by how often I mindlessly pick up my phone.   Not missing the doom scrolling at all though.  Slightly missing the ability to share and post things.

Day 1 of No Socials

Super quick update - I definitely was a little twitchy this am and before bed.   The lazy times when I don’t want to think.  But otherwise was good - I certainly got in a lot more Spanish practice than I otherwise would :)

No-Socials November

So last night while I should've been sleeping, I crafted the idea of No-socials November.  In my head this also includes YouTube, unless I'm using it solely to figure out how to do something, and background noise TV - by which I mean when I walk into a room and the TV is on (which it always is cause I married an extrovert) to not give up what I was doing to watch whatever is on.

This may be a particularly hard challenge cause I'm in the office a lot this month, which means a significant amount of train time, which is often absorbed with socials.   It also has become my go-to for when I'm too tired for whatever I'd actually *like* to be doing.   I'm loading my kindle in hopes that reading fills that void the way it used to.   I also realized that I hadn't seen a single post about Nanowrimo from anybody yet this year.  That could be in part due to the changes in the org, but also probably the algorithm has decided I'm not interested.  And while it's right that I'm not super passionate about *participating*, I still like to hear about others' adventures. 

Also, I woke up this am thinking "meh, it's not a hard challenge why bother" and then physically fighting the urge to sign in which to me meant yup, probably should do it ;).  So.  My rules of engagement:

- no apps on the phone (I left my phone charging in our bedrooom where Chris is still sleeping so it's safe from me now lol, but to be deleted as soon as he's up).
- the only "sign-in" allowed is webbased and only to follow a link to view something someone IM's me something; some of my friendships are mostly meme based and I'm not interested in disconnecting from them.
- messenger is legal; I use it the same way I do texting and as per above, it's my only means of communication with certain people who I enjoy communicating with ;)

My hope?  Partially I get over the twitchy feeling of *needing* to check any time I'm bored and also that I break the habit of checking any time I'm bored.  But also that the more creative aspects of my life - writing / drawing / stabbing, or even the learning aspects - piano / spanish, start to make a more regular occurrence.   We shall see.

My concern?  That it's going to be harder than I'm comfortable with.

And, obviously I can't post this link on socials so highly unlikely this will be seen before said challenge is over.  Blog posts and photos will be the two things I want to share that I can't.  That's disappointing.  But I know from experience that I'll sign in "just to post" and then fall down a rabbit hole so...  

Let the games begin ;)