6/21 Again finding it hard to keep off screens. I live in Texas which is having a significant coronavirus outbreak. Hospitalizations have risen enough that the heretofore anti-lockdown governor has publicly raised the possibility of re-introducing them... I've also been extremely busy with work, family, and home, which I find makes it harder to self-regulate and make thoughtful decisions. As I've been saying, I think meditation could help with this. It would be nice to find some further intervention. Meditation might help me think of one.
7/23 Got one yesterday! And off to a good start today. But I've got a long day ahead of me and a lot of exciting events calling me to the web. The pandemic, upcoming US election, and aftermath of protests are the perfect cocktail to induce internet addiction. As I feel an urge to check the web, I'll try to slow down, breathe, and ask whether it's what I really want. I can read a fun book or even watch something on Netflix instead.
7/30 This makes me think of a very simple habit one could have: "Before I use a screen, I will think through what I'm going to do, and when I'm done, I will look away". That type of behaviour could have an enormous impact because you would force yourself to get perspective all the time. Fight strong!
0/30, I forgot the time, bummer. I will enable my automatic suspend script so it doesn’t happen again.
I fell off the wagon screen-wise these last few days. In truth, it hasn't been catastrophic--I've been going to bed at reasonable hours and, though I watched a bit more porn than I'd like, I didn't watch much. It has impacted my productivity, though. A week ago, I compulsively read news and analysis of the upcoming US election and of covid-19 when I should have been working. As a result, I had to work on a Saturday afternoon. One of my goals is to keep week-ends available for family, fixing up the house, and relaxing. I may be on course for the same thing this week-end due, again, to too much misuse of screens. Also, beyond productivity, I just don't like the feeling of a life spent on a screen. I recently listened to Ezra Klein's interview with Nicholas Carr, who discusses how consuming more digital information makes us shallower thinkers. I haven't followed up on that claim with research (though I have studied related claims he's made and he's right about those), but it fits with my personal experience. Anyway, these last couple months have been worse than I'd like though there's at least been improvement since my nadir in April. Here's to doing better in July (starting today)! 0/2
Now, we all have vacation and bed times etc are already getting skewed. As long as I get enough sleep, I will have a break from this challenge. See you in about four weeks