Less Screen Time, More Page Turning

When was the last time you had to put yourself in check? I have a little boss in my head that tends to check me every so often.  She speaks in a very high pitch and is super sassy... The last check I received went something like this... "Umm, you're doing way too much with all of this scrolling and shows are boring me. Stop wasting my time." 

Needless to say, she was not happy about my screen time, and, to be honest, the boss is right. I've been spending far too much time on my phone and watching TV. Tiktok, Instagram, and Netflix have had me in a chokehold, literally. So, I've decided to cut down on my screen time and make a conscious effort to read more. 

Don't get me wrong, nothing, like getting lost in a scroll for a few minutes or binge-watching a new series but adding a book into the rotation, isn't a bad idea. There are so many benefits to reading an actual book. I'm not talking about listening to... I'm talking old-fashioned page-turning (no hate to the people that rather audiobooks). 

For me, reading is a great way to unwind, relax, and be still. When I'm reading a good book, I can completely lose myself in the story or lesson and forget about all of my worries and stress. It's a form of self-care that I always feel better doing. When I spend too much time on my phone or watching TV, I find that my brain is still buzzing with information and I don't feel as relaxed or refreshed.

Reading is a great way to expand my knowledge and learn new things. Whether it's reading non-fiction or diving into a fictional world with characters I can learn from, I always come away from a good book feeling like I've gained something. While I can say I've learned quite a bit on Tiktok, sometimes I feel when I spend too much time on my phone or watching TV I'm actually wasting time. Especially if I find myself mindlessly scrolling through social media or watching something just for the sake of watching it. 

Another reason why I want to focus more on reading is that reading is a great way to improve my writing skills. As someone who enjoys writing, I'm always looking for ways to improve. When I read a well-written book, I can learn from the author's style, structure, and word choice. It's a way to pick up new techniques and improve my writing style. 

Now I'm not going to sit here and pretend that it's easy because, in today's world, we rely on the screens to get through the day. It's just so easy to get sucked into the endless scroll of social media or the binge-watching of a new show. What makes it less of a challenge for me is setting concrete goals and creating a routine can be really helpful. For example, I've started setting aside a specific time each day to read, whether that's in the morning before work or before bed at night. I've also started leaving my phone in another room when I'm reading so that I'm not tempted to check it.

Overall, I'm excited about the decision, not only is it a form of self-care, it's also a way to learn new things.

If you too have set a goal to read more this year and cut down on screen time, I encourage you to give it a try. Set some goals, create a routine, and find a community of readers to support you along the way. I'll be sharing a few of my reads this year with you on the blog so be sure to stop by... Also, feel free to share book recommendations if you have any.