After announcing my resolution to spend less time on social media last weekend (which I thought might be fueling my excessive shopping in January), I tried to be more mindful of my screen time in general. I’m glad I had tried this before over 2 years ago (read about that experience after reading How to Breakup with your Phone here). But it’s funny how those habits eventually degrade (for example I no longer have no phone zones left in my house) while others still remain but make no difference (like having my Instagram tucked away in a different folder). Even this time around I removed Insta from my phone screen but because it’s still in my apps library, I just take several more swipes to get to it and my thumb and brain have gotten used to it. But I’m trying to be more mindful all around and have found that I was able to cut my screen time by about 30% this week. I also find looking at Screen Time (in my Settings) is a good reminder to see how much time I’ve wasted and that it’s a good time to put my phone down and do something else. If all else fail there are apps like Freedom to make me put down my phone (thanks to reader Nai for the tip!). I wonder if I should post my Screen Time to insta stories or this blog to hold myself accountable, though I don’t know how interesting that would be for you guys lol.
So now that I have several hours freed up everyday due to less screen time what have I been doing? Well trying to sell more things on eBay for one. I’m selling some things from my limited closet in Hawaii. But since I did buy quite a few things in the last couple of months, I’m trying to sell other things so that I won’t be carry extra luggage back to California come spring. I’m also trying to sell some of my dad’s old things. He was very much a collector of things (all kinds of things). I think I might have gotten that gene from him since I too have a lot of things lol. But even after only taking about 4 bins of things from his apartment last fall (the rest I left to my uncles to decide what to do with), there’s no way I’m keeping all of that. Ideally I would like to only keep one bin. So I’m selling what I can (since I think my dad would appreciate my effort to sell his things over just dumping them all). I guess I’m trading in one kind of screen time (phone) for another (the ebay website) lol. And it still revolves around stuff (even though the selling of things is better in my mind than the buying of things). I’m kind of getting back to that feeling in my life that I’m tired of screens, tired of things, and tired of the neverending presence of both in my life. I think I need another Airstream trip to the woods right about now 😆.
P.S. Totally random side note but since coming to Hawaii I’ve been using this vegan, soy-based, scent-free non-Acetone nail polish remover and I love it! I’ve never tried anything like it before but it was the only nail polish remover I could find at the Target here (I’m wondering if shipping acetone based products might be a bit of a hazard 🤷🏻♀️). Anyway I love that it doesn’t try out my nails and cuticles and leaves it feeling moisturized. Yes, it does take a couple more swipes than normal nail polish remover but it’s 100% worth it. And best of all, it doesn’t leave any lingering smells to my hands or the room. Anyone else try this soy-based nail polish remover?