Really enjoyed this post. I’m definitely intrigued to hear more about your experiences with your dumb phone. I have also really been wanting to spend less time on my phone and I’m kind of in the middling place where I have that feeling but feel slightly powerless to do anything about it. I think part of the problem is I have a lot of life changed happening at the moment and no strength to do anything besides scroll. I wish the time limit restrictions we set would really not allow us back onto those apps.
I’ve been following you since your early posts on Reddit about about your anti capitalist no buy. You have so many amazing ideas and I’m so glad you’ve decided to start blogging.
Thank you so much, Lauren. Your comment is so kind! I owe a lot to the r/nobuy reddit community, which will probably be a post soon. :-)
I think that "middling feeling"--love that phrase, by the way-- is totally normal. I was in that feeling for a long, long time. (I think many of us move along a spectrum of feeling and a desire for change, and at times the "temperature" of urgency on that feeling goes up and down.) I think being in this place is an accomplishment in and of itself. I'd also say: go easy on yourself. Life change is hard, and it does honestly take mental energy, forethought, and planning to make a huge change around phone use (because it's part of so much of everyone's every day). I hope you are doing okay.
There will be a time that feels right, and you can definitely do incremental things to support using your phone more mindfully until then, if you want to. :-)
I agree with you, I find the time limit settings truly horrible. Do you have an iPhone or an Android phone? I've found that there *are* some good apps to help limit/deter screen use, a few that are fairly new to me. I also find it, unfortunately for Apple users, easier to delete/block and deter oneself on Android phones because you can do more to alter the experience of the phone. Let me know what kind of phone you have and I can throw out a few recommendations, if you'd like.
I'm thinking about doing a smaller post about apps and other tools that can help for people who are interested but maybe don't want to get rid of their smartphones (but I don't want to seem soapbox-y or come off as though I think everyone should do what I'm doing, I don't!) If you'd be interested in that, or have any other kind of topics/content you'd like to see, please let me know! :)
Thank you for such a thoughtful reply. I have been noticing how hard I am on myself lately and I think it’s because I’m doing so many things 😅 so trying to be a little nicer to myself. I’m mostly doing alright and the life changes are mostly good things it’s just a LOT of upheaval and will be for about a year (planning on moving countries twice, switching jobs, trying to follow my passion for writing, etc) so I’m really just trying to take care of myself.
I have an iPhone so I’d love any recommendations you have. :)
I think your idea about the apps is a great idea! In my opinion the people generally drawn to your blog won’t mind. I feel like there is an intimate connection between a no buy and trying to get space from your phone which has so many triggers/ads. This is especially apparent in the makeup rehab subreddit where a lot of people have talked about blocking beauty content and what not on Instagram so they’re not tempted to buy stuff.
I read your what I’m enjoying now post and was disappointed there wasn’t anything about books 😂 I’d love to know what you’re reading even if it’s not no buy/ or whatever related. I’m always looking for good recommendations and I feel like you’d have great taste. I’m currently reading The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. It’s phenomenal. It’s like religion meets first contact with aliens but not in a proselytizing way more like a philosophical way. I’m not into religious stuff at all but this is incredibly well done.
Really enjoyed this post. I’m definitely intrigued to hear more about your experiences with your dumb phone. I have also really been wanting to spend less time on my phone and I’m kind of in the middling place where I have that feeling but feel slightly powerless to do anything about it. I think part of the problem is I have a lot of life changed happening at the moment and no strength to do anything besides scroll. I wish the time limit restrictions we set would really not allow us back onto those apps.
I’ve been following you since your early posts on Reddit about about your anti capitalist no buy. You have so many amazing ideas and I’m so glad you’ve decided to start blogging.
Thank you so much, Lauren. Your comment is so kind! I owe a lot to the r/nobuy reddit community, which will probably be a post soon. :-)
I think that "middling feeling"--love that phrase, by the way-- is totally normal. I was in that feeling for a long, long time. (I think many of us move along a spectrum of feeling and a desire for change, and at times the "temperature" of urgency on that feeling goes up and down.) I think being in this place is an accomplishment in and of itself. I'd also say: go easy on yourself. Life change is hard, and it does honestly take mental energy, forethought, and planning to make a huge change around phone use (because it's part of so much of everyone's every day). I hope you are doing okay.
There will be a time that feels right, and you can definitely do incremental things to support using your phone more mindfully until then, if you want to. :-)
I agree with you, I find the time limit settings truly horrible. Do you have an iPhone or an Android phone? I've found that there *are* some good apps to help limit/deter screen use, a few that are fairly new to me. I also find it, unfortunately for Apple users, easier to delete/block and deter oneself on Android phones because you can do more to alter the experience of the phone. Let me know what kind of phone you have and I can throw out a few recommendations, if you'd like.
I'm thinking about doing a smaller post about apps and other tools that can help for people who are interested but maybe don't want to get rid of their smartphones (but I don't want to seem soapbox-y or come off as though I think everyone should do what I'm doing, I don't!) If you'd be interested in that, or have any other kind of topics/content you'd like to see, please let me know! :)
Thank you for such a thoughtful reply. I have been noticing how hard I am on myself lately and I think it’s because I’m doing so many things 😅 so trying to be a little nicer to myself. I’m mostly doing alright and the life changes are mostly good things it’s just a LOT of upheaval and will be for about a year (planning on moving countries twice, switching jobs, trying to follow my passion for writing, etc) so I’m really just trying to take care of myself.
I have an iPhone so I’d love any recommendations you have. :)
I think your idea about the apps is a great idea! In my opinion the people generally drawn to your blog won’t mind. I feel like there is an intimate connection between a no buy and trying to get space from your phone which has so many triggers/ads. This is especially apparent in the makeup rehab subreddit where a lot of people have talked about blocking beauty content and what not on Instagram so they’re not tempted to buy stuff.
I read your what I’m enjoying now post and was disappointed there wasn’t anything about books 😂 I’d love to know what you’re reading even if it’s not no buy/ or whatever related. I’m always looking for good recommendations and I feel like you’d have great taste. I’m currently reading The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. It’s phenomenal. It’s like religion meets first contact with aliens but not in a proselytizing way more like a philosophical way. I’m not into religious stuff at all but this is incredibly well done.
This was a solid read, really opened my eyes.