What I Did (and Learned) During a Week of Media Deprivation

I had my cheats and slip-ups, but overall, it was an insightful experience

Last month, I started The Artist’s Way. This 12-week creative recovery program has inspired esteemed writers, actors, and artists, while also encouraging millions of everyday people to reconnect with what brings them joy.

A woman I chatted with recently called the book “soul-nourishing,” and I wholeheartedly concur.

I’m almost halfway through, and there’s so much I could say about my experience thus far, but I’ll save that for when I’m done. For now, I want to talk about week four, also known as the reading deprivation week.

As Cameron describes it: “no reading, no emailing, no texting, no surfing the Internet. No talk radio, no TV.” (And in our current era, I believe this would extend to no social media or online platforms of any kind, as well as podcasts. Cameron does, however, permit music listening — which I took full advantage of!)

Admittedly, I felt very hesitant to embark upon this endeavor — anxious, even. Like many of you, I spend a considerable amount of time online — whether that’s in a more fun, inspiring way (reading pieces on Medium and Substack) or something more aimless like falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole. (Admittedly, I did end up in a couple of those.)

I also like to read or watch TV as I wind down in the evening, so the whole shift in routine made me uneasy at first.

But I knew it would ultimately be for the best. While I didn’t adhere to it 100% (I still checked email, texts, and had my share of intentional and unintentional Google-related slip-ups), I’d say I followed it by about 70%. As a (recovering) perfectionist, I knew that being too rigid would just stress me out more, so I’m settling for “good enough” this time around.

Overall, I noticed several improvements. And I’m slowly working on carrying some of these new habits into my long-term routine. Here are a few of the things I did (and learned) during the week.

I Started To Pay Attention and Slow Down

Though I’ve simplified my life in many ways the past couple of months (mostly as a result of leaving an overwhelming work environment), I still find myself unnecessarily rushing through things.

During the media deprivation, I suddenly had all this newfound time. And with this time, I realized that being on autopilot, hurry-through-things mode had contributed significantly to my stress levels.

The very first day, I acknowledged how much time I actually have in a day, despite believing otherwise. It was a liberating revelation!

As the week went on, I found myself noticing things I hadn’t before (like an art studio next to my orthodontist’s office) and being more present in conversations. I felt like I had more space to think through and process things.

Life slowed down, in a way that allowed me to let out a figurative (and, I suppose, literal) exhale. I loved how much quiet and calm I was able to tap into.

I Knocked Out a Bunch of Mundane Tasks

With all the newfound time, I no longer had an excuse to avoid the boring, daunting, energy-draining (but necessary) tasks I’d been putting off.

I worked on my taxes (yuck).

I backed up hundreds of files from my old laptop. (And found so many abandoned/unfinished writing projects, which I’m looking forward to revisiting.)

I deep cleaned the fridge and tidied up household clutter that had been bothering me.

Although these tasks were nowhere near as exciting as diving into a juicy novel, they brought a deep sense of accomplishment that I hadn’t felt in a while. And I realized that the thought of doing many of these tasks (except for taxes — yuck!) was more anxiety-inducing than actually getting them done.

I Experimented Creatively

The whole premise of The Artist’s Way is “discovering and recovering yourself.” Cameron talks extensively about buried dreams, creative endeavors that we’d love to do but neglect for a variety of reasons (time, limiting beliefs, fear, etc.).

Each evening, instead of reading or watching TV, I developed a new routine. I’d grab all of my art supplies, head upstairs into my office, dim the lights, start a playlist, and create.

I painted. I colored. I journaled. I finished up a vision board I’d started the week before. For so long, I’d told myself I was “too busy” to do any of these things, so I had clear evidence now that this was an excuse. I also realized I wanted to delve back into dance, another art form I’d long abandoned, and take in-person art classes this year.

During this time, felt very relaxed and could sense my inner critic quieting down while my inner child came out to play. These evenings were sacred — they allowed my mind to run free; they allowed me to just “be.”

I Socialized More

I consider myself an introvert, and really value my solitude. But now that I had less to do in my alone time, I became almost uncharacteristically social.

I wanted to go out and talk to people; to be in livelier settings.

Throughout the week, I went to a mix of online and in-person events. I wrote at the library and a new coffee shop. I called friends and family.

It dawned on me that I actually enjoy being around people, but I’d been dealing with a lot of social anxiety post-pandemic, which had made me closed off. I’m continuing to get out and prioritize in-person connections. It’s been a little daunting, especially when going to events for the first time, but I’ve met a lot of kind, inspiring people.

Where I Plan To Go From Here

This week brought me face-to-face with a truth that many of us can relate to: I’d been consuming a lot of media, much of it mindlessly, and it had taken a toll on my mental health.

I’ve been maintaining my evening dim lighting routine, though I’ve started watching movies and reading books again. I’m also working on implementing tighter boundaries around screen time and experimenting with screen-free (or screen-reduced) days each week.

Ultimately, I’ve come to acknowledge the level of control I have when it comes to my media diet. And how, as with the food we eat, the media we consume can either make us feel energized and uplifted, or just… icky. I’m feeling much more empowered and excited to continue with the rest of The Artist’s Way.

The time richness I felt during the week was priceless and made me reflect on how easy it is to get distracted by our devices (and, as a result, have less time to do what we love). And finally, I see how much we can learn about ourselves — about life — when we get quiet for a bit. When we take less in and sit with whatever’s inside, seeking answers.

As Theodore Roethke says, “In a dark time, the eye begins to see.”

Thanks for reading! I’m curious… have you ever tried a media deprivation week (or day)? If not, is it something you’d want to experiment with?

Also, thank you to the In Living Color editorial team your support and hard work!