Like so many others I know, I used to be addicted to anything social media. I had an account on every imaginable site and I spent hours every day wasting time obsessing over the things I found there. A few years ago, I decided for one whole day each week I’d take a break and stay away from anything even remotely connected to social media. Well, except for FB messenger, I kept that one open because it was the easiest way for me to keep in contact with my kids in TX.
At first, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to break the habit or control the obsession. But even the first day I found SO many things to do and as the weeks turned into days away I found myself interested in doing other things away from that incessantly glowing screen that had taken over and absolutely ran my life.
Now I get up and make my coffee, read the news headlines on Google, check my email, then go to Facebook and read the daily post from Heather Cox Richardson to try and keep up with the current events. Once I’m finished with that, I read the news headlines in the FB app, scan my newsfeed and that’s it until Jimmy posts and tags me with his location once he’s stopped for the night. I’m very slow to wake up on any given morning, and this routine gives me the right amount of time to have my coffee and get the eyes in focus for the rest of the day.
Once I finish my coffee, I straighten the blankets on the bed, add the extra pillows, and decide which mini project I want to start the day off with. Today was putting more decorative touches in my planner/journal. I’m not sure how other people set their planner up, but after many hits and misses, I’ve found what works for me. Before the beginning of 2022, I was using 4 different A5 ring-bound planners and got more than frustrated having to go from one to the next every day. This year, I’m using 2 A5 ring-bound planners and I have EVERYTHING I need or want within. I believe I have finally found planner peace, YES! That is such a thing, LOL!
I make sure to listen to that inner voice and not do more on any given project so I don’t become frustrated or give up, I do a little each day and then move on to something else. I read, I watch movies on Netflix or Hulu+, I play 2 games on my tablet, I snuggle with Lily and play with her and her squeaky toys, I even do mundane chores such as laundry or cleaning the bathroom I use.
I’ve been looking for crafting options as well. Since I can’t get my fingers to work for beading or making Dream Shields any longer, I’m trying to find something to occupy my mind. I can still color with my gel pens and Tombows, I can still use the Prismacolor pencils I have without the fingers cramping up or hurting too badly. I had been looking at painting, but I can’t even draw a stick figure that looks right. I did find something called Diamond Art on Amazon, though. It’s not expensive at all and the kit I found I really like is 9.99 with free delivery with my Prime account, so I’m going to order it this weekend and see if it’s something I can do. If I can’t there is a chance that the Witchling might want to work on it.
So, when I see a blog or post from others saying they HAVE to take a mental health day or a social media day because things online are getting to be too much for them, I think to myself, you were in that same place at one time and figured out how to remove the chaos from your life, I honestly hope these others can find even a fraction of the peace I’ve found … away from Social Media.
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