On May 16th, I failed to spend more time outside than I did on social media (there, I said it). We never said this would be easy but I think I failed to appreciate just how hard it is to create workable situations or break some bad habits.
On 16th I commuted to London. This involved an early start, several hours indoors in meetings with minimal walking between the two, and then a long idle commute home on the train. My phone was used for entertainment during downtime, and I had no opportunity to spend more time outdoors (arriving home after 10pm).
If I had brought a book, this wouldn't have happened. I've got plenty left on my reading list, so every time I leave the house I'll be bringing one with me.
More generally, my social media vice seems to be YouTube. Normally I'm listening to or watching something over breakfast, and with roughly 1-2 hours in the morning before work, this pushes my screen time up considerably.
Looking at Google Digital Wellbeing, I'm not happy with my overall score. Mostly I'm using my phone to scan for news and updates rather than social media but it still adds up to a lot of screen time.
So I'm looking for new sources of news over Youtube channels or live broadcasts. I don't subscribe to any papers but it's starting to seem like a good idea (if it can be recycled, obviously). My mornings are the main driver of screen time that I can avoid and I'm even considering buying a radio rather than relying on my phone. Call me crazy...
Let us know how you are getting on by emailing hello(at)northernstroll.co.uk
James