Thank you for writing this. I've been wrangling with this since I stopped drinking 7 years ago. Last week I decided that since I can't moderate (app limits, downtime, etc) I need to go back to a dumb phone. Thanks for the book recommendations. I'm working up the courage and the bravery to just quit cold turkey.
Tawny, I have had a light phone since December ‘23. My sister has my iphone for safekeeping. I popped the sim card back in my smart phone and used it twice this year—once when I had to buy a car and needed to do banking/dealership stuff and the other time when I was ladysitting my grandma during a two week trip to Alaska. The only time I really wish I had my iphone is when I see a really cute cat on the street. And this one time when my car broke down, but I made it through all of that.
haha I called AAA because I was at least smart enough to carry the card in my wallet. I also had to switch from just carrying one item (I had a phone-wallet) to carrying a large purse. Here’s the crazy thing though. When I thought I lost my Light Phone and considered that I might have to switch back to my iphone because I can’t just go around buying phones willy nilly, I was really really sad. I LOVE that when I leave my computer, I have no access to anything but the world as-is. I stare into space and think these days. It’s great.
Loved this! Thought I was addicted, but reading your questions, I only said yes to #10. So it would appear the addiction is all in my head and I just love to bash myself!
Wow. That list of questions is pretty eye opening. As someone, like yourself, who uses social media for running their business, I find it really hard to strike that balance of engaging with and where I want to versus getting sucked into to algos and rabbit holes a out shit I have NO BUSINESS KNOWING OR CARING about.
These resources are really helpful, too, so thank you thank you!
I just switched to a hard copy subscription of The Atlantic. I’m an escapist reader. It’s a socially sanctioned way to escape reality and be alone. I want to do more of my reading in analog.
Probably....I use my phone for the time, weather, calendar, email, monitoring my steps, recipes, Posh and....before you know it, it's with me most of the day and I end up wasting time on it with social media as well. Just commenting here is giving me some ideas on how to curb usage. Thanks for the post. I'm on my lap top right now, BTW!!
Well, all the political texts and ads is helping!! I started by telling my husband I needed to cut back. So now he asks, what's on the phone. If I don't have a good answer, it makes me pause. Also, I leave on the counter instead of in my back pocket. I really don't need to count steps unless I'm on a walk.
Yes, I definitely have a social media / phone habit that I am continuing to try to moderate. Like alcohol, this stuff is designed to trap us and get us hooked! It’s rough.
Oooof…I know I’m addicted. The first step is awareness. Thank you for sharing this and providing resources to help disconnect us all just a bit from our devices (in the hope/service of reconnecting us to each other, and ourselves).
We're all struggling with smartphone addiction! I truly think we'll see more people entering rehabs and serious digital detoxes for our tech dependency.
Hey, I'm sober in Media Addicts Anonymous which is similar to ITAA but has a more solid grounding in the Big Book and the traditions (in my opinion). It's changed my life, even after getting sober in several other fellowships first. I'm yet to blog about it/pod about it but I'm getting there slowly. It's obviously an interesting journey being media sober and also a blogger.
Thank you for writing this. I've been wrangling with this since I stopped drinking 7 years ago. Last week I decided that since I can't moderate (app limits, downtime, etc) I need to go back to a dumb phone. Thanks for the book recommendations. I'm working up the courage and the bravery to just quit cold turkey.
I'm interested in the Light Phone but not sure I'm ready to go there just yet. LMK how the cold turkey goes! You're not alone <3
Tawny, I have had a light phone since December ‘23. My sister has my iphone for safekeeping. I popped the sim card back in my smart phone and used it twice this year—once when I had to buy a car and needed to do banking/dealership stuff and the other time when I was ladysitting my grandma during a two week trip to Alaska. The only time I really wish I had my iphone is when I see a really cute cat on the street. And this one time when my car broke down, but I made it through all of that.
Super helpful insight! Also, car break down with no smart phone sounds like pure hell. How did you do it??
haha I called AAA because I was at least smart enough to carry the card in my wallet. I also had to switch from just carrying one item (I had a phone-wallet) to carrying a large purse. Here’s the crazy thing though. When I thought I lost my Light Phone and considered that I might have to switch back to my iphone because I can’t just go around buying phones willy nilly, I was really really sad. I LOVE that when I leave my computer, I have no access to anything but the world as-is. I stare into space and think these days. It’s great.
My hero!!
Loved this! Thought I was addicted, but reading your questions, I only said yes to #10. So it would appear the addiction is all in my head and I just love to bash myself!
Loved the cartoons you picked too!
LOL I love bashing myself, too!
Wow. That list of questions is pretty eye opening. As someone, like yourself, who uses social media for running their business, I find it really hard to strike that balance of engaging with and where I want to versus getting sucked into to algos and rabbit holes a out shit I have NO BUSINESS KNOWING OR CARING about.
These resources are really helpful, too, so thank you thank you!
Much love!
I just switched to a hard copy subscription of The Atlantic. I’m an escapist reader. It’s a socially sanctioned way to escape reality and be alone. I want to do more of my reading in analog.
It's so nice, right!
Probably....I use my phone for the time, weather, calendar, email, monitoring my steps, recipes, Posh and....before you know it, it's with me most of the day and I end up wasting time on it with social media as well. Just commenting here is giving me some ideas on how to curb usage. Thanks for the post. I'm on my lap top right now, BTW!!
LMK how you curb usage!
Well, all the political texts and ads is helping!! I started by telling my husband I needed to cut back. So now he asks, what's on the phone. If I don't have a good answer, it makes me pause. Also, I leave on the counter instead of in my back pocket. I really don't need to count steps unless I'm on a walk.
Yes, I definitely have a social media / phone habit that I am continuing to try to moderate. Like alcohol, this stuff is designed to trap us and get us hooked! It’s rough.
So tough! Good thing is that we're not alone <3
Oooof…I know I’m addicted. The first step is awareness. Thank you for sharing this and providing resources to help disconnect us all just a bit from our devices (in the hope/service of reconnecting us to each other, and ourselves).
We're all struggling with smartphone addiction! I truly think we'll see more people entering rehabs and serious digital detoxes for our tech dependency.
Hey, I'm sober in Media Addicts Anonymous which is similar to ITAA but has a more solid grounding in the Big Book and the traditions (in my opinion). It's changed my life, even after getting sober in several other fellowships first. I'm yet to blog about it/pod about it but I'm getting there slowly. It's obviously an interesting journey being media sober and also a blogger.