I love this! Yep, back in October, I had really gone off the edge with my screen time on social media. So, I did an experiment of sorts where I told myself I could use social media, but ONLY on my laptop. And oof - Substack is still fine, but yep, Facebook and IG are awful! I couldn't hardly stand to be on there for more than 5 minutes on a laptop. It was a surprisingly effective intervention.
LOL the posture check really got me ! I stumbled on an article on here that linked to something that said to use apps like tools. Like a toothbrush. You use it twice a day for a limited time to perform a task, you don't walk around with it brushing constantly. I like that analogy
I love that analogy! We need to stop using technology passively (to fill time) or in distracted ways – have you read this thing about Netflix developing TV shows on purpose so that they can be watched while people are doomscrolling? Gives me the creeps
PS: I just got a desktop after my laptop broke. it's white with rainbow lights and too many fans, but it's also tucked away under the desk so it doesn't affect my space like a laptop would.
What a trip down memory lane. Desktop life was the best. Now desktop represents work to me, not play. Also, dang shame Australia doesn't have CodeCheck.
This article made me think of Charli XCX in the music video for 1999 🤓 I'm also super nostalgic about those days, for me it was using my dad's iMac G4, which later became my own desktop. Today, I've found a laptop + big monitor setup the most useful, as it allows me to have just one computer, and the flexibility to take my work anywhere, and hook it up to other monitors. That said, it's nowhere near as stylish as just having that iMac at home...
iMac G4! Amazing. Yes, I think laptop + big monitor is the only feasible set-up these days, especially with moving apartments, remote work, etc. But maybe one day I will get my iMac. 20 year plan lol
I love these experiments Caoilainn! I hadn’t thought about it this in a while but it’s true and made me feel so nostalgic! I remember downloading all the viruses when trying to get the new blink 182 or avril lavigne,
The only social I have on my phone now is Substack—I just deleted LinkedIn after reading this. One of the biggest gifts of being off social is how settled I feel in my body… like I fully own myself again.
I love geocaching! My son got me into it a while back and it's equally fun and frustrating I find.
I'm Gen X so graduated uni before I had even a flip phone... And I hate notifications, always off/on DND for me... I have done this desktop/laptop experiment before and it's not easy, especially with a teen whose love language is random facts on YouTube shorts... But I definitely don't need to continue scrolling as much as I do. thanks for the reminder!
Geocaching is so fun! Friends and I did it in college and then I forgot about it for the past 10ish years or so. There's so many fun ways to use technology that go beyond the same 3-4 main platforms who are all the same!
I loved this! I recently deleted socials off my phone (except for Substack) and I've turned many notifications off, I also find myself putting my phone on no disturb for longer and longer. Scrolling on FB, insta on my computer achieves the aim I actually want of seeing if my friends have posted something or to check FB Groups (basically the only reason I have it). I have dedicated tiktok time on my iPad and I find I get bored of it too easily anyways. I find my head is so much clearer and I'm not constantly reaching for my phone.
That’s the reason why I can’t fully let go of social media either. Groups and artists often use it to inform in advance about tours or events. Great that you’ve taken this initiative and that it’s working 👏🏻
The middle school I worked at was a boarding school where kids didn't have phones or screens of their own. there was one pretty old laptop in each boarding house. the kids had to physically plug it into the Ethernet, share amongst their 4-5 housemates, and only use it for approved purposes in a communal space (not holed up in their bedrooms) with the screen visable to a houseparent. This wasn't some sort of therapeutic boarding school or school for behavioral problems - but it helped solve this addiction behavior we all have now! after a couple of months, the kids stopped complaining and started getting into board games and chess and asking to go use the art studio or taking a bike ride with a friend. As teachers, we were left more to our own devices (literally and figuratively), but we started leaving our phones in the main office during the day and they weren't as necessary when you could walk up the road and knock on your friends door or call their house phone (yes, the kids had to learn how to talk on the phone and memorize numbers again!) It was a dream to work there in many ways (and super hard emotionally living at your job but that's another topic). I hope more people and schools continue to go this way!
love this one! this is a concept i remember journaling about last year, but i called it “bringing back computer room energy”. embarrassingly i have not implemented it for myself since then but you have my admiration for committing to it!
i've been trying so had to cut down my social media use but it's my job and i think that has also disturbed my life / work relationship. i think i can try to implement some of the tips you gave here. and eventually if i upgrade my phone i would like to keep my current one as a work phone and turn it off as soon as I'm done. thank you for writing this!
SO many good memories of the desktop era! Not to mention, since you only had 1 computer in a household, the downloads folder was insane! Trying to keep your crush's pictures sent via MSN secret, finding your parents' kamasutra.pdf...! We mostly didn't know anything about nothing, what's RAM? What's a video card excuse moi? USB is a port (whatever that meas) and for a decade you thought it was the stick? Your cousin will come with a floppy disk, copy paste files into a folder and you are unkillable in Diablo II. Magic! And I remember how downloading Photoshop (long long before it was a subscription ahmmnn) to a friend's computer took 1h48mins!! But while waiting, doing teenager stuff was guaranteed. 2 years ago, I decided I wouldn't buy more laptops. I have now a desktop that's mostly off. I switch it on when needed to do tasks like the ones you mentioned: bookings, banking, online paperwork, read emails peacefully, write, play games, zoom meetings calls (This also forces me to have a presentable background since I can't simply move the computer to another room). AND...when done: power off! Joyful times since I ditched laptops.
I love this! Yep, back in October, I had really gone off the edge with my screen time on social media. So, I did an experiment of sorts where I told myself I could use social media, but ONLY on my laptop. And oof - Substack is still fine, but yep, Facebook and IG are awful! I couldn't hardly stand to be on there for more than 5 minutes on a laptop. It was a surprisingly effective intervention.
I know several people who only use browsers for social media and they all say it has the same effect! Thanks so much for reading 🙏🏻
LOL the posture check really got me ! I stumbled on an article on here that linked to something that said to use apps like tools. Like a toothbrush. You use it twice a day for a limited time to perform a task, you don't walk around with it brushing constantly. I like that analogy
I love that analogy! We need to stop using technology passively (to fill time) or in distracted ways – have you read this thing about Netflix developing TV shows on purpose so that they can be watched while people are doomscrolling? Gives me the creeps
Yes! That's just as twisted as those ai generated hour long videos of random background sounds to fall asleep on YouTube x.x
PS: I just got a desktop after my laptop broke. it's white with rainbow lights and too many fans, but it's also tucked away under the desk so it doesn't affect my space like a laptop would.
What a trip down memory lane. Desktop life was the best. Now desktop represents work to me, not play. Also, dang shame Australia doesn't have CodeCheck.
Thanks so much for reading, Chantelle – here's another trip down memory lane:
+⠀ ⠀
⠀˚⠀ ⣴⠟⠉⠉⠛⢦⡀⢀⣴⠛⠉⠈⠙⠻⣄
⠀⠀⣼⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠋⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠹⣦
⠀⠀⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿
⠀⠀⠿⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣰⡆
⠀⠀⠀⢻⣦⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡼⠃
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠻⢦⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⡴⠛
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠛⠶⣄⠶⠋ ⠀⠀⠀+. *
AmAzInG
this is inspiring me to sell my laptop and ipad and replace them with a desktop
Same!!!! I was more happy in my teens with my nokia and only certain time on the web than now.
This article made me think of Charli XCX in the music video for 1999 🤓 I'm also super nostalgic about those days, for me it was using my dad's iMac G4, which later became my own desktop. Today, I've found a laptop + big monitor setup the most useful, as it allows me to have just one computer, and the flexibility to take my work anywhere, and hook it up to other monitors. That said, it's nowhere near as stylish as just having that iMac at home...
iMac G4! Amazing. Yes, I think laptop + big monitor is the only feasible set-up these days, especially with moving apartments, remote work, etc. But maybe one day I will get my iMac. 20 year plan lol
I love these experiments Caoilainn! I hadn’t thought about it this in a while but it’s true and made me feel so nostalgic! I remember downloading all the viruses when trying to get the new blink 182 or avril lavigne,
rip my family’s desktop 😸
thank you for this!
Thanks for reading Nabil!
The only social I have on my phone now is Substack—I just deleted LinkedIn after reading this. One of the biggest gifts of being off social is how settled I feel in my body… like I fully own myself again.
I love geocaching! My son got me into it a while back and it's equally fun and frustrating I find.
I'm Gen X so graduated uni before I had even a flip phone... And I hate notifications, always off/on DND for me... I have done this desktop/laptop experiment before and it's not easy, especially with a teen whose love language is random facts on YouTube shorts... But I definitely don't need to continue scrolling as much as I do. thanks for the reminder!
Geocaching is so fun! Friends and I did it in college and then I forgot about it for the past 10ish years or so. There's so many fun ways to use technology that go beyond the same 3-4 main platforms who are all the same!
Same - no notifications for me either. Gets me into trouble though when someone is trying to call me :)
I loved this! I recently deleted socials off my phone (except for Substack) and I've turned many notifications off, I also find myself putting my phone on no disturb for longer and longer. Scrolling on FB, insta on my computer achieves the aim I actually want of seeing if my friends have posted something or to check FB Groups (basically the only reason I have it). I have dedicated tiktok time on my iPad and I find I get bored of it too easily anyways. I find my head is so much clearer and I'm not constantly reaching for my phone.
That’s the reason why I can’t fully let go of social media either. Groups and artists often use it to inform in advance about tours or events. Great that you’ve taken this initiative and that it’s working 👏🏻
The middle school I worked at was a boarding school where kids didn't have phones or screens of their own. there was one pretty old laptop in each boarding house. the kids had to physically plug it into the Ethernet, share amongst their 4-5 housemates, and only use it for approved purposes in a communal space (not holed up in their bedrooms) with the screen visable to a houseparent. This wasn't some sort of therapeutic boarding school or school for behavioral problems - but it helped solve this addiction behavior we all have now! after a couple of months, the kids stopped complaining and started getting into board games and chess and asking to go use the art studio or taking a bike ride with a friend. As teachers, we were left more to our own devices (literally and figuratively), but we started leaving our phones in the main office during the day and they weren't as necessary when you could walk up the road and knock on your friends door or call their house phone (yes, the kids had to learn how to talk on the phone and memorize numbers again!) It was a dream to work there in many ways (and super hard emotionally living at your job but that's another topic). I hope more people and schools continue to go this way!
That's really amazing that a school has implemented that these days. Gives me hope!
It probably helps that the school has been the same since the 40s and is based on a landtrust inside an intentional community ;)
love this one! this is a concept i remember journaling about last year, but i called it “bringing back computer room energy”. embarrassingly i have not implemented it for myself since then but you have my admiration for committing to it!
Bring back computer room energy!!! 🫶🏻
omgg those imacs <3
I know right 🥺
i've been trying so had to cut down my social media use but it's my job and i think that has also disturbed my life / work relationship. i think i can try to implement some of the tips you gave here. and eventually if i upgrade my phone i would like to keep my current one as a work phone and turn it off as soon as I'm done. thank you for writing this!
SO many good memories of the desktop era! Not to mention, since you only had 1 computer in a household, the downloads folder was insane! Trying to keep your crush's pictures sent via MSN secret, finding your parents' kamasutra.pdf...! We mostly didn't know anything about nothing, what's RAM? What's a video card excuse moi? USB is a port (whatever that meas) and for a decade you thought it was the stick? Your cousin will come with a floppy disk, copy paste files into a folder and you are unkillable in Diablo II. Magic! And I remember how downloading Photoshop (long long before it was a subscription ahmmnn) to a friend's computer took 1h48mins!! But while waiting, doing teenager stuff was guaranteed. 2 years ago, I decided I wouldn't buy more laptops. I have now a desktop that's mostly off. I switch it on when needed to do tasks like the ones you mentioned: bookings, banking, online paperwork, read emails peacefully, write, play games, zoom meetings calls (This also forces me to have a presentable background since I can't simply move the computer to another room). AND...when done: power off! Joyful times since I ditched laptops.