Mindful Changes
How do you use social media?
If you had asked me this question six months ago I would have given you a very different answer. At that point I was scrolling on auto pilot through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, BluSky and Threads, sometimes for 4 or 5 hours a day. Now, the picture could hardly be more different. I have mothballed the last two, cut Facebook and Instagram down to a few visits a week rather than multiple visits a day and use Twitter for music challenges almost exclusively. I have been helped by ScreenZen no end. By putting strict limits on my social media use I have reduced my overall phone use by about 60% and the times I am using it, I have a clear purpose. I am not at the stage where I am fully content with the level of my social media use, but I am now very much closer to where I want to be. It’s very freeing and I don’t want to go back to the days of constant scrolling. Like any addiction, though, you have to be careful not to slide back into old habits. So the ScreenZen stays on and the ways of distracting me from social media stay in place and my life is much better and fuller for it.
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David Pearce - Popular Culture and Personal Passions 
Well done for 1. recognising this as an addiction and 2. treating it as such. I found recently that my phone has been taking far longer to charge, which has reduced scrolling time. It actually caused something akin to withdrawal (though obviously of a very mild form). Low and behold I found I was suddenly able to read a book, which I actually finished in a few days. Actually a very good thing to have happened and am actually putting off getting a new phone as a result. Unfortunately this one seems to be on its last legs, but will cerainly be putting it away if am at home as I have enjoyed these long periods without reaching for You Tube/ Whats App, and the rest of them.
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I have noticed that too. From recharging my phone every day I am now doing so every 2 or 3 days. I am aiming to go on a retreat sometime in the next year or so and that will of course require me to go offline for a few days, so my reductions will hopefully make it easier.
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I’ll have to check screenZen out David. I cancelled Facebook Twitter and all others except a bit of Instagram but it helps to control screen usage. I now use Flipboard a lot which has me scrolling through relevant websites and quality information. It’s brilliant!
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I feel like I have control but I know how easy it is to slide backwards so ScreenZen stays. Like any addiction you will never have it fully beaten. I did try Flip board but it was difficult with the restrictions I put on my phone with ScreenZen! 😂😂 Swings and Roundabouts as they say
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4-5 hours is wild. But you managed to turn this around, that is great.
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It’s not the worst I’ve come across. My students would often admit to 10 hours a day if not more at the weekends. I think it’s very easy to lose track of time when you’re scrolling, but I lose track of time when reading so I am probably that type of person! 🤣
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Ten hours a day??? This is what they call brain rot I guess
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Funnily enough, some of my best students in the last few years have spent huge amounts of time online. They lived online more than most because they had moved to the UK and were keeping in touch with family and friends. Of course we didn’t help as we put all their coursework online especially during and after the pandemic. I would say that the 10 hours online often included 3 or 4 hours on academic subjects.
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Oh, I thought we were just talking about social media.
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