Last night when I went to bed I had a very good idea for a blog post for today. It was clear in my mind what I was going to write about, and it was going to be life-related, not crypto, because I think I have a long enough streak of writing about crypto and needed something else for today.
Knowing it had happened to me before to think about something when I go to sleep and forget it by the next day, I repeated it a few times... But... it's still gone. I should have written it down, but, I didn't have the right tools by my bedside: pen and paper. Just pause for a second from reading... 😀 OK, things are rectified! I now have a pen and paper by my bedside in the bedroom.
I also don't have my phone next to me. In fact, my family knows I rarely carry it around when I am home. I only take it with me when I leave.
I've read a few posts about screen detox recently on Hive. Useful reminders, important ones, in the kind of environment we usually live in, surrounded by electronic devices.
Maybe I should abruptly switch from my inability to remember what I wanted to write about last night to the importance of screen (and electronics, in general) detox in our lives.
Like most of you, I imagine, I spend way too much time around electronic devices, mostly on, but "off" too, which is not as good as not being around them.
I am aware of the situation and have taken some steps, but still not enough in my opinion.
I have the luxury of having separate rooms for "the office", sleeping, relaxing and talking with family, etc. Space to spare too. It's a big house.
Before clearing and furnishing what is now my bedroom it was mostly a big storage room with old furniture from previous owners and other stuff we brought too. And I slept in "the office" on a small bed for a good number of years. I still have it if I need to relax during the day.
You can imagine in the office I had/have enough electronics. Even if they were turned off (but not unplugged), they still kind of worked during the night too.
That's why when I had the bedroom done, I wanted no electronic device in it. No TV, no laptop, no phone. Not even an alarm clock for a good while. Now I have a very small one that works on batteries, but I never use it as an alarm clock and rarely check the time. No red, blue, or whatever visible light either. It only lights up if I want it to.
Then, during the day. I already said I don't carry my phone with me unless I leave home. It's a way to avoid using it all the time, among other things.
I don't spend enough time away from the laptop, however. But I'm working on that, in various ways.
For example, most people check their notifications on their phone right after they wake up. I have a different routine. I only get to my phone when I'm ready to go to work. Before that, for example, I spend at least a couple of minutes outside, especially if it's sunny in the morning.
I also purchased a basketball hoop and a ball at a high discount (the last one, had to wait until it was dismantled from being displayed in the shop) and started shooting every once in a while (about twice a week so far). That's an activity I enjoyed doing as a kid and I still do, and it's a way to move around while doing something you enjoy, not necessarily a chore.
I also try to spend some time talking with the family or others directly, not on the phone. Sometimes I delve into these conversations too long, however, so I prefer doing them when my most important tasks are rather finished.
Shopping in real stores or from real people works too. I never thought I'd like that, but it is a way to break away from technology, even if shopping tires me (perhaps the environment in these big shopping centers with background noise or the fact that I stand checking out products more than I move around, that's the most tiring part - we are lucky to be in a relatively small town, and traffic is generally not terrible, and even when it is, you get to your destination quickly enough). But it is a way to break away from screens.
Of course, nothing beats nature, in my opinion. We've been in a pretty big park on one of the recent weekends, and the fresh air, the coolness compared to the outside heat (already!), and the chirping of the birds (one in particular) were something we remembered for days afterward. And we enjoyed it even if we have important pockets of trees around our home, and a few in our small yard too.
What I want and still need to fix is my sleep routine, mostly connected to these "screens". I need to go to bed earlier every day. It's still one of the few ways I abuse my body and mind consciously. And I'm not in my 20ies anymore.
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I spend way too much with my electronics but I really should be putting it away for a while. Maybe it's because I use my phone so much, I usually have my phone when I go out. However, I do agree that it can be quite distracting.
Distractions are one thing. I am also a little careful of overuse/overexposure because of potential health issues that can be related to that.
That happens to me too. I usually have my phone next to me before I sleep, so if it is important, I can put it there. I can understand trying to lower screen exposure. You should also try going to the gym. Not only is exercise good, but the exhaustion after can hopefully make you sleep better.
Yeah, I try to avoid that for many reasons. Usually, when I go to sleep, I try to avoid distractions. I don't seem to have issues falling asleep, but sometimes I wake up during the night.
Hmm, can't do that, even if I wanted to. I am not allowed to make a sustained physical effort like I would at the gym or running, for example.
When you have a lot of things to do or you're a busy person, it's easier to actually forget things like ideas for content creation. It happens to me regularly. When you get that idea, it's important to quickly write a summary and develop it later when you're free
I know... I do that when I am at the office or even elsewhere if it's a promising one and I believe it's worth going to my office or my phone to keep some notes about it.
But when I go to bed, I usually fall asleep quite rapidly, and my mind doesn't wander around. So I didn't bother to have pen and paper around. Yesterday I had an idea though, and it would be useful to have something to jot it down. Now I have, but it's already too late, lol.
You could maybe download a note on your phone, and just scribble the ideas down, it's more painful to forget ideas lol
I don't keep my phone around at night... Yeah, I know, I'm a curiosity of nature. 😀 Who doesn't keep their phones by the bed?
Yeah I have been trying to cut down too... But it's hard.. With GME and AMC etc, there's so much fun and excitement even to just watch the prices.
Yeah, I know... Even when I am interested in a short-term trade, I won't spend all day glued to the screen and charts, though. I used to do that, years back, and it's bad...
Haha I am kinda used to it (unfortunately)!
Hello, @gadrian. I really love your post today about how important it is to get away from the electronics and screens. I totally agree that we need to get away from them. I think it can cause mental illnesses sitting in front of screens too long. Yes, I think of something too and then I forget. I should have wrote it down when thinking of it or right after I work up if it was a dream. 😊 🤔 🗯️ 😃 🤪 !BBH !CTP #ctp
Yeah, Barb. I hear phones/TVs/computers cause anxiety and potentially depression. Feelings of loneliness. Humans are social beings, and as much as some want to believe social media is a replacement for real human contact, I don't believe that.
Thank you for your input @gadrian this is very important. You are indeed correct. You can't isolate any creature that is a social creature like pet birds for instance. You need to interact with your pet birds, dogs, cats, and other pets. Most are social.
I hate it when an idea or thread of consciousness occurs right when I am about to go to bed or do an activity and I think I'll remember it, only for me to capture wisps and vapors of the original thought. I've found that even me writing down the base words of the thought is enough for me to recall the full thought in (almost) its entirety.
It's an interestingly frustrating happenstance though when an idea vanishes from the thought reality, Where did the idea go and why can't I mentally see or picture it again? The brain does flush out its fluids after sleep though and maybe the brain fluid containing that thought flushes aswell.
Screen detox is an interesting concept, I don't think about doing it because there are most days where I am totally away from the computer and glances at my phone screen are minor in comparison to my off days.
All in all, Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the experiences from your life! It was an interesting read and I am glad you have found a solution with the pen and paper.
Good thoughts about what happens with an idea that apparently vanished. It is indeed possible that the brain flushes it away, after all it needs a sort of reset for the next day or we wouldn't be able to function properly.
If you don't spend a lot of time in front of various screens, then there's no need to detox. You practically do it every day through your lifestyle.
There are times when I am inspired to write something but I may be too lazy to pick up a pen or my phone’s notebook and if eventually forget it. It’s crazy though…
Sorry about that…
I rarely remember a blogging idea after a while, if I don't make a note, a draft, or some kind of reminder about it. Probably that's because there are other things more important to remember and this one doesn't fit in anymore.
So sorry about that buddy, it can be one of the most painful things... It's no different from when you were going to say something super smart in a conversation and you lost your train of thought 🤧🤧... I also keep my phone around for such moments....
I hope you remember it... Because I trust your inspiring blogs
I wouldn't call it painful. But it is annoying remembering the feeling of how clear it was in your mind. But I do believe it's normal, that's why I made sure from now on I have pen and paper in my bedroom too.
Who knows, maybe I will remember... Sometimes it comes back when you least expect it.
You're right on that buddy.. it does come back when you least expect it to😂👌
Here's some !LUV
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