Life Lessons | Habits | Personal Development | Productivity
I Was Robbed, and I Didn’t Even Know It: The Greatest Thief of All Time
When the universe speaks, I listen
As I welcomed the year 2022, there was a message I kept hearing from friends and fellow writers. It was the power of saying NO. When a message manifests repeatedly, I pay attention. I take it as a sign to listen and learn.
So I did, I decided to invest in my future self by saying no to commitments that didn’t serve me.
It seems the universe has something new to say, and it finally came screaming at me through the voice of Sally Prag in her clever story of trying to find Time in, The Longest Game of Hide and Seek.
You see, there’s so much that I want to do and the only thing missing is Time to do it. I worried about Time disappearing. And then he did. He started slipping away and it seemed so unexpected. Now, the only thing that stands between me and achieving everything that I dream about is Time.
As a mom of two young boys, time is a luxury — the time to sleep, time to eat, time to write. Every single second is sacred.
Yet, as I complained about the challenge of trying to find time, I realized I was wasting some of the precious hours of my life. No wonder the universe had to intervene.
I have recently taken a part-time job, on top of being home full time with the boys. I had another reason to rant to my husband about having zero time to do anything for myself.
Until I tried to solve Sally’s quest on the elusive Time.
And here’s where I found him…
On my phone!
And he even left clear evidence and a very detailed explanation of his whereabouts. According to the ‘Screen Time’ on my iPhone, I averaged 5 hours and 47 minutes a day on my phone. Most of that time was spent on social media.
ALMOST SIX SACRED HOURS!!!
I can see the smirk on the universe’s face.
I’m not one to turn down a challenge. Maybe it’s the Virgo in me, or perhaps it was the harsh reality of seeing the proof of my unproductiveness laid out in front of me.
After observing my cell phone habits, I decided to make some drastic changes.
1. Turn Off ALL My Notifications
I am a part of a couple of different Whatsapp chat groups, and every time I get a message, I don’t just read the message, reply and put my phone away. I realized I tend to linger on my phone and mindlessly open my other social media apps. The one minute it took to reply turned into thirty minutes of scrolling through Instagram.
2. Scheduled 20-Minute Blocks, Four Times a Day to Check on My Social Media and Emails
This makes me excited to pick up my phone, and I also feel more present when I consume content. The idea of having limited time makes me savour each post rather than aimlessly scrolling through content. This led me to my next point —
3. Unfollow Accounts I Am Not Interested In
Because I only have a certain amount of time dedicated to consumption, I can’t waste space on content that doesn’t inspire, entertain, or inform me. I went through my Instagram following list, and I eliminated a good chunk, freeing up space for more valuable content.
4. Be Intentional With How I Navigate Through my Social Media Platforms
I am always on Medium through my phone, and the only time I use my laptop to be on Medium is to write my articles. On the Medium app, the default page is the ‘For You’ on the Home page. Naturally, that’s where I begin my search for stories. Until I decided to hover over the ‘Following’ tab, I enjoyed almost every single article I read and engaged more than I did trying to find a story that resonated with me in the ‘For You’ tab.
This is the same for Instagram. I no longer click the Explore page because I know there is an endless amount of content to consume, and that’s where you go down the rabbit hole. So instead, I stick to my newsfeed curated with content I know I will find value in as I now follow accounts with intention.
While this is a work in progress, and there are moments I go a little longer than my allotted 20 minutes, I finally feel more in control of my time.
My future goals with my phone usage include having a social media-free day once a week and setting my phone far from my nightstand, so it is not one of the first things I reach for in the morning. I tried this many years ago, and surprisingly, it was very challenging. It is almost a reflex to wake up, reach for your phone and check the time, and since it’s on your hand, you start checking emails and social media — thirty minutes of your morning gone.
I’m curious to know your screen time report. How long has Time been hiding inside your phone?
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Always Grateful, Erica Marie
