I quit instagram and used my redeemed time on Substack. It may not need to be social media like if one focus on only reading.... so I tell myself :) that said, setting a time for reading sounds like a good plan than compulsive checking, I should consider that :)
yes! i like the notifications but i'm sad they started including just regular (not personal) announcements in the "bell" icon. also, i feel like i get a lot of people i used to be subscribed to, in my feed still? not sure what's going on, but I know Substack is trying to keep me addicted! lol
I am cutting down my time on social media, period. And that includes Substack.
Yes, I write on Substack and have meaningful conversations with fellow like-minded writers; in that sense, Substack is a wonderful tool for me as a writer, and I love that part. But let's be real, it also has many social-media-like features, and many writers use it as just another social media platform. I refuse to use it as a social media tool, regardless of what Substack's AI-powered algorithm will do to my postings :). I refuse to like or follow just for the sake of getting like or follow back.
I find it hard to strike a balance between time spent on reading and time spent on writing (not to mention other activities I love to do also require time from me), so yes, I have reduced my time spent on ad hoc reading on Substack, to twice a week focused hourly block. It is still an experiment and I may change that when there are more and more wonderful writers creating more and more wonderful content on Substack. :)
Oh, did I mention my eyesight has also deteriorated? I blame that on the every-so-sleek smartphones. :)
good for you - substack was hard to quit... i probably need to go thru and cull the writers i read a lot. like maybe narrow it down to a dozen. ugh i'm sorry about your eyesight. i hear you! health is a big priority for me now... gotta preserve what I have!
Such a relatable post. Thanks, Alice. I’m working on this same thing. I know when I quit eating sugar, I succeed best by taking an all or nothing approach. I’m thinking tech habits may require a similar approach. Boundaries, and also replacing the overuse of phones in particular, make sense to me.
BTW, I still would be happy to talk sometime. We both wound up getting really sick recently so I lost the past week and a half.
Yes, October should work well. I did beat sugar and did really well for about a decade. I just didn’t buy things with added sugar hardly at all. I didn’t bring it into my house and I turned down desserts for the most part. I enjoyed fruit, especially berries. I did sweeten plain Greek yogurt with date palm sugar or a bit of honey. I was told I had diabetes (which I didn’t want to deal with on too of MS). So I bought a used treadmill and walked after meals. I lost 40 lbs and my A1C was excellent. They said it was no longer necessary to take any diabetes medication. I swam three times a week and ate a lot of vegetables like kale or baby bok choy.
As I said, I did great for over a decade. But I met my husband and after we got married, his sweet tooth created problems for my all or nothing approach. Sadly, I am having to get a handle on this area again currently.
Wow, I can't believe you were able to cut sugar. That is sooo addictive... it takes a lot of willpower. I find that i can beat sugar early in the day but by afternoon and evening, i crave the dark chocolate. it's amazing you lost 40 pounds and could control your A1C and also swam - so inspiring. Did it help with the MS?
Yes I hear you about the food habit and husbands... I don't eat as healthy as I used to when I was single! I have let myself "relax" and we have too many treats in the house!
Yes, a healthy diet and swimming regularly (and other activities) have been crucial for MS. Pain is easier to manage too. I am glad I am not alone in finding this harder when married. My husband loves to cook and his penchant for junk food and sweets was a major stressor to me that first year. He would literally bring me ice cream in a bowl, thinking this was a loving gesture. But it’s hard when you know their love language looks like this!!
That is great that you've been able to find a way to work on the MS. I hope you're taking good care. And you're so lucky your husband enjoys cooking. I'm fortunate my husband does too, although he doesn't have much time to do it. Sadly my husband eats a lot of processed food - he's not a sweets person but a processed food person. I am realizing - I am the one bringing sweats into the house! I have ice cream but i can somehow limit it to one tiny scoop. Chocolate covered almonds are another story - I need better afternoon snacks! I think the best way to kick addictions are to have equally attractive options... off to do yoga!
Good for you—exercise is so helpful. I naturally feel like eating healthier foods when I work out. We used to buy chocolate covered almonds a lot. I feel like having this recent flu (it wasn’t covid) be so harsh allowed for a reset. Before I start eating much again, I am resisting eating things I don’t think will make me feel good. That was always my secret with sugar…I’d look at a piece of cake and think, that looks like a headache and tight clothing. So, resisting felt easier!
It’s time for me to do the same. Thank you so much for this inspiring post. I needed it! My eyesight has gotten really bad lately and I am constantly holding my phone and looking at it. I too read more books when I limit my phone time. And I have more time to write when I’m not reading others’ newsletters.
yes! sad to block substack b/c i love it, but i want to preserve my vision for decades to come! also, i find when I read a lot of blogs, I start doubting my own voice... the "influence" is too strong. Let me know how your phone journey goes!
I must admit, I am on my computer more, but it is further away from my eyes. I have gone back to Facebook and reading the NYT a few minutes (need to stop that, the news is too scary). Need more books from the library! Also, probably need to turn off my computer, put it in a closet, etc. Our attention and brainpower are very precious!
Agree, to all above. I am trying to read longform posts/articles on my computer instead of my phone, and to spend less time on my phone, period. I’m reading The Power Broker by Robert Caro with my family, which is fun. We have an Excel spreadsheet detailing which chapters must be read by what deadlines. So, we know exactly when we’ll finish reading this huge (1150-page book) that I would otherwise put off finishing. Projects like this help curtail my time online!
That's amazing! Yes, screens are my default and so bad for my attention span and eyes... i have been doing more yoga these days which is nice, but on YouTube so still on a screen. I try to take my glasses off so that helps me stop reading!
First of all, congratulations on making a healthy change. I love the idea of chatting on the telephone like we did when we were teens. It seems so novel and delightful now.
Secondly, I only use my phone when I have to -- it's a tool, for transportation, banking, logging into work computers, etc. I read Substack on my laptop, and do the majority of my reading online here, too. An app you might find useful is https://bionic-reading.com/
twitter doesn’t exsist………
fakebook?
insta?
129 emails left………
LOL :P
hahaha
💕 be urself always 💕
love it! live life in the real world!
I quit instagram and used my redeemed time on Substack. It may not need to be social media like if one focus on only reading.... so I tell myself :) that said, setting a time for reading sounds like a good plan than compulsive checking, I should consider that :)
i quit insta a long time ago but am still on FB a little bit...
yes, substack was getting so addictive for me... i have basically quit cold turkey ;)!
Yes it can be. I have not jump on the notes bandwagon but I do check my notifications often. :)
yes! i like the notifications but i'm sad they started including just regular (not personal) announcements in the "bell" icon. also, i feel like i get a lot of people i used to be subscribed to, in my feed still? not sure what's going on, but I know Substack is trying to keep me addicted! lol
I actually have no idea too... they do change frequently as they roll out new features or test things ...
I am cutting down my time on social media, period. And that includes Substack.
Yes, I write on Substack and have meaningful conversations with fellow like-minded writers; in that sense, Substack is a wonderful tool for me as a writer, and I love that part. But let's be real, it also has many social-media-like features, and many writers use it as just another social media platform. I refuse to use it as a social media tool, regardless of what Substack's AI-powered algorithm will do to my postings :). I refuse to like or follow just for the sake of getting like or follow back.
I find it hard to strike a balance between time spent on reading and time spent on writing (not to mention other activities I love to do also require time from me), so yes, I have reduced my time spent on ad hoc reading on Substack, to twice a week focused hourly block. It is still an experiment and I may change that when there are more and more wonderful writers creating more and more wonderful content on Substack. :)
Oh, did I mention my eyesight has also deteriorated? I blame that on the every-so-sleek smartphones. :)
good for you - substack was hard to quit... i probably need to go thru and cull the writers i read a lot. like maybe narrow it down to a dozen. ugh i'm sorry about your eyesight. i hear you! health is a big priority for me now... gotta preserve what I have!
Such a relatable post. Thanks, Alice. I’m working on this same thing. I know when I quit eating sugar, I succeed best by taking an all or nothing approach. I’m thinking tech habits may require a similar approach. Boundaries, and also replacing the overuse of phones in particular, make sense to me.
BTW, I still would be happy to talk sometime. We both wound up getting really sick recently so I lost the past week and a half.
You beat sugar?!?! that is amazing. I have not attempted that at all... tell me how you did it! what did you replace it with?
Yes, I am all or nothing. Nothing in moderation!
Yes I'd like to talk - things open up in Oct. so will reach out! thank you for remembering :)
Yes, October should work well. I did beat sugar and did really well for about a decade. I just didn’t buy things with added sugar hardly at all. I didn’t bring it into my house and I turned down desserts for the most part. I enjoyed fruit, especially berries. I did sweeten plain Greek yogurt with date palm sugar or a bit of honey. I was told I had diabetes (which I didn’t want to deal with on too of MS). So I bought a used treadmill and walked after meals. I lost 40 lbs and my A1C was excellent. They said it was no longer necessary to take any diabetes medication. I swam three times a week and ate a lot of vegetables like kale or baby bok choy.
As I said, I did great for over a decade. But I met my husband and after we got married, his sweet tooth created problems for my all or nothing approach. Sadly, I am having to get a handle on this area again currently.
Wow, I can't believe you were able to cut sugar. That is sooo addictive... it takes a lot of willpower. I find that i can beat sugar early in the day but by afternoon and evening, i crave the dark chocolate. it's amazing you lost 40 pounds and could control your A1C and also swam - so inspiring. Did it help with the MS?
Yes I hear you about the food habit and husbands... I don't eat as healthy as I used to when I was single! I have let myself "relax" and we have too many treats in the house!
Yes, a healthy diet and swimming regularly (and other activities) have been crucial for MS. Pain is easier to manage too. I am glad I am not alone in finding this harder when married. My husband loves to cook and his penchant for junk food and sweets was a major stressor to me that first year. He would literally bring me ice cream in a bowl, thinking this was a loving gesture. But it’s hard when you know their love language looks like this!!
That is great that you've been able to find a way to work on the MS. I hope you're taking good care. And you're so lucky your husband enjoys cooking. I'm fortunate my husband does too, although he doesn't have much time to do it. Sadly my husband eats a lot of processed food - he's not a sweets person but a processed food person. I am realizing - I am the one bringing sweats into the house! I have ice cream but i can somehow limit it to one tiny scoop. Chocolate covered almonds are another story - I need better afternoon snacks! I think the best way to kick addictions are to have equally attractive options... off to do yoga!
Good for you—exercise is so helpful. I naturally feel like eating healthier foods when I work out. We used to buy chocolate covered almonds a lot. I feel like having this recent flu (it wasn’t covid) be so harsh allowed for a reset. Before I start eating much again, I am resisting eating things I don’t think will make me feel good. That was always my secret with sugar…I’d look at a piece of cake and think, that looks like a headache and tight clothing. So, resisting felt easier!
It’s time for me to do the same. Thank you so much for this inspiring post. I needed it! My eyesight has gotten really bad lately and I am constantly holding my phone and looking at it. I too read more books when I limit my phone time. And I have more time to write when I’m not reading others’ newsletters.
yes! sad to block substack b/c i love it, but i want to preserve my vision for decades to come! also, i find when I read a lot of blogs, I start doubting my own voice... the "influence" is too strong. Let me know how your phone journey goes!
I must admit, I am on my computer more, but it is further away from my eyes. I have gone back to Facebook and reading the NYT a few minutes (need to stop that, the news is too scary). Need more books from the library! Also, probably need to turn off my computer, put it in a closet, etc. Our attention and brainpower are very precious!
Agree, to all above. I am trying to read longform posts/articles on my computer instead of my phone, and to spend less time on my phone, period. I’m reading The Power Broker by Robert Caro with my family, which is fun. We have an Excel spreadsheet detailing which chapters must be read by what deadlines. So, we know exactly when we’ll finish reading this huge (1150-page book) that I would otherwise put off finishing. Projects like this help curtail my time online!
That's amazing! Yes, screens are my default and so bad for my attention span and eyes... i have been doing more yoga these days which is nice, but on YouTube so still on a screen. I try to take my glasses off so that helps me stop reading!
Good idea!
First of all, congratulations on making a healthy change. I love the idea of chatting on the telephone like we did when we were teens. It seems so novel and delightful now.
Secondly, I only use my phone when I have to -- it's a tool, for transportation, banking, logging into work computers, etc. I read Substack on my laptop, and do the majority of my reading online here, too. An app you might find useful is https://bionic-reading.com/
nice! i'm amazed you're not a phone addict - it's so tempting when we are carrying it around with us! bionic reading seems really impressive!