You might not have noticed, but in the last few weeks/months, I have massively reduced the amount of time I spend online. I really love blogging and the whole community around it, but in the last few months, I have really had the desire to just put the computer away and spend my time with ‘real’ activities – having fun with my friends and family, reading, cooking, baking, crafting (everything Helena talked about in her last post!). Somehow, there are so many people struggling with the question of balancing their time spend online, so I just thought I would share the few ‘guidelines’ I have been trying to follow these last few months:
1. I am trying really hard at the moment not to use any media for private use between 10 pm and 10 am. No mobile phone, no e-mails, no TV, no internet…it’s not really a long time, most of it is spend sleeping anyway, but somehow it’s surprisingly hard. Seeing how used we are to quickly check Facebook or Twitter or WhatsApp is almost scary.Instead of those lost hours down the rabbit hole of social media, I’m now reading way more (which is positive in multiple ways, the cheap book prices in England got the better of me and I bought so many new books). Since I’m not scrolling mindlessly through Instagram on my way to work anymore, I have finished almost two books on my commute there. And I also feel like I’m actually sleeping better and more awake, although that could just be pure imagination.
2. I also try not to use the computer on weekends, only if it’s really important to get something done as soon as possible. Of course it’s nice to spend a Saturday morning in bed reading blogs with a cup of coffee, but it’s also really nice to go jogging outside, have a big long breakfast with my family or a big and yummy brunch with my friends. The weekends are also the time I’m really working on my various to- do lists and I started ticking of so many boxes since I started not taking my laptop home with me every weekend ;).
3. Another small step has been to drastically reduce the number of blogs I’m reading on a regular basis. I mainly use Bloglovin to follow blogs and over the last few months I have unfollowed everyone who I don’t have a personal connection with or from whom I’m not learning anything new. It’s surprising how many blogs don’t fit into one of those two categories! Don’t get me wrong though, I love finding new blogs, but I try to build some relationship in one way or another now, without that I just don’t want to much of my time with it.
Well, these are the first few steps I’m taking towards a life more disconnected from the online world at the moment. I’m sure there’ll be lots of stuff following. I would love to hear your thoughts, tips and opinions by the way!
I definitely need to start doing all three of these. It’s so easy to get caught up in the blog world that you put your “real” life on the back burner!
You’re so right!! I love all of your tips. I can’t remember if we talked about number 3 when we met up, but I’ve been spending a lot less time recently reading blogs and using Pinterest – and it feels freeing. Not just time-wise but mentally, too ;)
Hanna’s Places is a green lifestyle magazine written by Hanna Ulatowski. It’s all about slowing down in a fast-paced society and finding ways to live a more sustainable, simple lifestyle.
August 27, 2013
loved this post hanna! you’re right, the internet can be great but most of us are getting way too consumed by it. thanks for the tips, I definitely have to implement no.1! I have this tendency to immediately reach for my facebook/instagram apps the moment I get a break in class.