Hello and welcome! :)
To be honest, I have had a lot going on recently (and I am eager to tell you). Let's start with a recent event - Tedx Warsaw!
TedX - expectations vs reality
I was at my first TedX - as a guest, of course. I did not know what to expect, but I had seen that topics were for example: FOMO, fear, digital world, changes, and so on. I thought to myself: "I should take part in it, I will learn a lot". I also had a chance to perform, but I didn't feel like it, so I just chose to be a listener. If I could make my own TedX, it would - of course - be about the dangerous part of being glued to your device, scrolling, wasting your life... So, that was what I was expecting to hear.
Instead, I heard a lot of stories in which a phone became a tool to make someone's dreams come true. One thing I particularly remembered was that one guy posted a funny video on tiktok and it went viral unexpectedly. Because of it (and staying consistent), he is now travelling and making money from something he truly enjoys.
Wow, I got inspired. Then, I came across a quote online. It said:
Your phone is not your companion. It is a tool.
And I agree with that 100%. With a good plan you can stop wasting your time on your phone and start doing things that keep you closer to the life that you want.
Social media detox
As you know or not, I have most of my social media apps deleted permanently from my phone - I do not use TikTok, I check Instagram through Google (and I have limits on it), I use Facebook only on my laptop. However, I've noticed that the first thing I wanted to do in the morning was checking my Instagram. It was a moment of realization - that it was not the plan. The plan was to be free from all social media in a way that I can control them, but they cannot control me. So, I put a limit of 0 minutes of Instagram per day and I've been feeling more peaceful and quiet since then. I sometimes forget about it and still try to check the app, but it does not allow me to do it (thank God).
Progress in life slowly made by a new app
Instead of other social media apps, I chose Substack to be that one app that I would allow myself to scroll. If you are not familiar with Substack, it is sort of a Twitter for smart people. Just kidding! It is an app where you can post only written or visualised content, no videos (so, no short, reels, tiktoks, etc.). There are many articles about various topics, which I love! I have already learned a lot on Substack.
One thing I came across there was an app created by a Polish guy. This app looks similar to tamagotchi, but it allows you to track your goals and progress. Whenever you miss a task, you lose a heart. And when you lose all of your 3 hearts, your digital pet dies. Of course, I don't want my pet egg to die, so I do my tasks every day. It makes me more aware of them than just writing them all in my calendar.
The app is called "ogarniak" and I did not know that you could make progress because of such a simple thing! It can really keep you motivated, even though it may seem weird.
Dumbphone - hot or not?
Another - surprisingly very popular idea - that I came across on substack was using a dumbphone (a fliphone) instead of a regular smartphone. People get themselves a flip phone and use it every day. Not for a day, not for a week. They use it instead their normal iPhone.
Now, I know what you think: "but what if I pay with my phone?", "what about google maps?" - yes, I know that these things can significantly help you in your everyday life. I even thought to myself "what about my messenger groups?" or "what if I have to write a lot of messages to clients?". But the thing is that in the past people did not need that. They did not have a phone with 100+ apps on it, and they still survived. Sounds crazy, but it is true!
I find it really cool. So, maybe one day I will try that. It is just an idea that I may think about in the future.
What do you think about it!
