Are you overwhelmed by information or simply angry with yourself using hours on end to scroll? I've been both too much online too late at night, as well as not been online at all, while I was detained in the United States 2011-12. That itself did become a wonderful lesson of regaining presence and awareness, in order to be able to take charge of my time online.
Tending to our time online, is also part of selfcare and creating a healthy balance. First of all, you need to become aware of what you are doing, when and why. Here are some examples:
* Reading (listening or watching) the news
* Interacting with your family and friends where you live
* Interacting with your family and friends who live far away
* Interacting with your clients and customers and/or followers
* Looking up information (addresses, opening hours, words we don't know the meaning of etc)
* Posting your own content
* Working (such as sitting in WordPress to do translations or communicating) or studying (uploading exams, doing research, discussing assignments etc)
* Listening (or watching) to music
* Listening to podcasts
* Buying and ordering things (or selling) after browsing such sites
* Paying bills
* Watching entertainment and/or scrolling your preferred feed
* Following links
We do all these things for various reasons, such as to feel connected, to relax like we used to with TV, to apply for jobs, or to make money. The point isn't to be, or not to be, online, the point is to be actively choosing what we want to do and when. What I've found working for me is three things:
Never look at the phone or computer before breakfast, besides checking emails and messages about the day ahead or for real emergencies
Decide a time in the evening when you are going to bed and always turn off the TV or phone (or at least on silent), even if it's in the middle of a movie or a show
Plan what to do with a list similar to doing other chores and tasks (I often jot down on paper what I would like to post)
The real opportunity is our now more equal ability to fully express ourselves, so do that!
Comments