Monday, March 23, 2020

Twelve Things To Do That Don't Involve Screen Time

The Pond on a Sunny Day
The other day, a notification popped up on my my screen that kind of shocked me. Apparently, my average screen time last week was more than seven hours a day. Wow!

That was for my phone and tablet alone, and didn't count my computer time (which was quite limited last week) or my TV time (which was, in fact, zero*). Although some weeks I spend a lot of time on my computer if I'm working on writing or revising my novels or on academic work, I do try to limit the amount of additional time I spend staring at my phone or my tablet. More typically, my daily average is between one to two hours on the phone and tablet.

Some of the things I do on my phone and tablet are good, useful things. I am learning a second language, and I spend up to an hour on Duolingo doing that each day. I do all my blog reading and commenting from my tablet. I use the map program on my phone to navigate. I keep in touch with groups I am part of via email.

But seven hours is far too much time to spend staring at a little screen. No wonder I have had tired eyes and a slight headache.

I admit it. I have been compulsively looking at news websites for hours every day, reading and watching updates and reports about the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it's good to be informed, I've been overdoing it. It's not psychologically healthy to be as immersed in the pandemic news as I am. It makes me feel anxious and scared, and it eats up time that I could be using in more productive and healthy ways. To get my mind off the pandemic, often I end up watching an episode of a series or some TED talks or author interviews to divert my mind with other stuff. More screen time. 

Perhaps some of you are having a similar experience? Sheltering in place, anxious about the future, unable to participate in our usual community activities and groups, and physically separated from friends and family, suddenly we are filling our time with -- what?

Homemade Soup and Biscuits
Here are a few ideas. These are some of the things Rob and/or I have been doing that don't involve screen time.

1. Lots of cooking and baking. Using up those items way in the back of the cupboard.

2. Cleaning the house. Goodness knows I am not a housekeeping role model, but cleaning has the useful property of being something you can do that doesn't take a lot of concentration. My house certainly needs plenty of cleaning; it could keep me busy for weeks! The added bonus is that I can feel as if I'm doing something practical related to COVID-19. Doorknobs disinfected.

Evening Walk
3. Going for walks. My wearable fitness device tells me that I have been far more active this week than usual in terms of steps taken, kilometers travelled, and calories burned. The dog likes lots of walks too, and sometimes I've been able to talk Rob into coming along as well.

4. Read a book, an actual physical book. Presently I'm reading Radicalized by Cory Doctorow, which is on this year's Canada Reads shortlist.

5. Start a new project. Rob has been busy in his workshop building a new set of speakers. I have started keeping a daily journal while sheltering in place.
One of the New Speakers (with Green Baffle)


Daily Journal
6. Phone family and friends, and anyone you know who's on their own. I have been phoning my three kids a lot. Although I can't be with them physically, it's good to hear their voices and talk through the challenges we are facing day by day as we all practice social distancing and sheltering in place. I've talked to my grand kids too several times, and I've enjoyed chatting with a number of friends and other family. We are healthy and well, and very fortunately, so is everyone I know, thus far.

7. Yard work. Last week, we had lovely weather, and I spent quite a bit of time in the yard raking up branches and evergreen cones, sweeping the driveway, and digging up my vegetable garden in preparation for planting when the soil warms up a bit more.
Spring Flowers are Popping Up in the Garden
Sweeping the Walk



















Washing the Truck
8. Wash the car/truck. This is allowed where we live; there are presently no water restrictions.

9. Get out in nature. Although sometimes I walk along the streets of the neighbourhood, most days I go out for a short hike on the trails. It is very soothing to the soul to be in green spaces, and to be among the animals and plants as spring makes its glorious appearance.

Hiking Along the Shore

10. Meditate or do yoga. Tara Brach does amazing guided meditation podcasts that she makes freely available. Appreciative followers can donate.


11. Play cribbage, card games, or board games with your housemates, or solitaire if you live alone. Rob doesn't play cards or board games, although he'll sometimes play crib with me to humour me.

12. Write an actual letter with pen and paper, and send it to someone special via the actual postal service.

13. Stress eat, guzzle wine, and compulsively touch your face. No. Wait. Don't do any of those things!

You'll notice that I have not included creative writing or painting on the list. Somehow I can't settle my mind enough to concentrate on doing either right now. But I'm hoping that will change soon, as we adjust to this strange "new normal."

Take care, my friends.

*As many of you know, I scarcely watch TV at all. When I do watch a newscast, film, or episode, I usually do it on my tablet, unless Rob and I are watching a movie together. 

18 comments:

  1. We are similar in so many ways, in our coping with this crisis, Jude. I live alone, but am getting my people fix (granted: I don't need a big one) everyday through the wonders of Messenger and Facetime videos. Stay safe and healthy!

    Deb

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    1. Deb, yes, staying in touch with people we care about via other means is so important, even though we can’t be with them physically. I like phoning, so I can hear their voices, and phoning has the added benefit of giving my eyes a break from the screen. But I’ve also been texting, emailing, messaging, looking at FaceBook, videoconferencing, and of course blogging. Yesterday, my daughter set up an children’s messenger account for my oldest grandson so we can message each other.

      I suppose this health crisis will delay your moving plans?

      Jude

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    2. I am afraid it will. I give about a 5% chance that I will still moving end of May/early June.

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    3. I hope that doesn’t complicate your life too much — that you still have somewhere to live while you wit this out.

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  2. With all these tips and ideas, you can stay busy for weeks, Jude! Good idea to focus (or non-concentrate) with non-screen time. I’m spending heaps of time on my iPad as well, but that is nothing new. It happens when I finally have time to catch up with emails and blog reading. :-)

    I’d rather actually follow more of your advice (wherever possible in our environment - like walking Maya more if it’s not too hot or read and actual book - but I feel this is my time to catch up on those other things on my iPad.

    Like you, I haven’t felt inspired or “relaxed” enough to write or work. For now, we are just taking it easy; we were in real need for that! :-)

    I had no idea how important being social was to everyone before this virus! I guess we are the exceptions, as we rarely socialize in our lifestyle! Easy to practice social distancing!

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    1. Liesbet, you know me — I never have trouble keeping busy! In fact, most of the time I’m just too darned busy. And solitary pursuits make up a lot of my time already, similar to you, I’d say. But I value my social time greatly as well. And since moving here, I’ve become quite integrated into the local community through the Lions Club volunteer work, political volunteer work, yoga, a writers’ group, an art group, a book club, and of course spending time with my kids and grandkids. And I know you value your social time too, such as when you meet up with family or friends.

      I think that during these very strange times, it’s ok to catch up with things on your iPad, if that’s what you most feel like doing. I know I’ve been spending more time blogging and reading blogs again since becoming housebound. Funny how it’s so hard to sit down and work on my writing though. Maybe it’s because I’m finding it hard to concentrate. But maybe it’s also because my novel series is about a post apocalyptic dystopia, a theme which is a little too close for comfort right now.

      I hope you, Mark, and Maya stay safe and happy!

      Jude

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  3. I’m still anxiously checking and rechecking the news frequently. I know it won’t make any difference but I still do it. Must try harder! Glad you are ok - my family and friends are all well so far.

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    1. Anabel, I know I shouldn’t look at the news websites so much either. Last night I was up until nearly 2 AM reading about how countries around the world are dealing with the Coronavirus outbreak (and the UK is not doing an impressive job in my my opinion) and then I couldn’t sleep (I wonder why?) .

      Is John still going in to work, or is he working from home now? Many of my academic colleagues are frantically trying to transition to online teaching with little prep time or support.

      I’m glad to hear you and yours are well.

      Jude

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  4. Hi, Jude - I like your tips, especially your advice to check our screen time. My computer says that I have been averaging 5.5 hours per day on my computer this past week. My phone says that I have been averaging 1 hr and 10 mins per day. When I checked into this deeper, I spent that full hour on my phone today on Google Maps, walking to book club members homes to drop off prepackaged popcorn and prepackage tea. (Our virtual book club meets tommorrow and It's my turn for snacks. I safely left the packages on porches). The 5.5 hours of computer time is high for me. 40 - 60 minutes of this has been on Zoom Video Conference with family and friends. Some of this time has been for looking up creative recipes for groceries that I currently have on hand (so that I can avoid going to the store). The majority of the rest of my computer time has been on reading blogs that I love. I have found this corner of the internet to be very inspiring and encouraging, especially now. Thank you for adding to this inspiration!

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    1. Donna, my book club has also been chatting about possibly doing our next meeting using some form of conferencing. We talked about FaceTime or Skype, but I don’t know how to add multiple participants on those systems. We’ll see how well Zoom works, and maybe I’ll suggest it. I used to do quite a lot of videoconferencing in my second-to-last job. Our campus was actually on the leading edge in that respect. However, we had a sophisticated institutional conference system with all the bells and whistles and tech support. As you know tech stuff is not my forte. Sigh.

      So true that staying at home and not being able to run out to shop on a whim stretches one’s culinary creativity. We haven’t shopped for groceries for eight days now, and although we could probably continue to feed ourselves for another week if necessary, the meals would start to become very strange. We’ve run out of milk, coffee cream and fresh vegetables. I think I’ll have to break down and go out to a store.

      Jude

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    2. Jude, re: book club discussion. Zoom allows multiple participants, camera on or off,(Brady Bunch Style) 40 minutes free, then it costs for extra time. I am experimenting with it with a few friends in anticipation of using it for our April meeting. Just a thought.

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    3. Suzanne, a friend has set up a Zoom video conference this afternoon, so I will have a chance to try it out. I’ve downloaded it and signed up. Hopefully, when the moment comes, I’ll be able to figure out how to connect.

      Jude

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  5. All great suggestions, Jude. I don't have a screen time tracker... thank goodness! I really don't want to know. My husband and I talked about starting a journal to capture our experiences during this time. I have a feeling we'll look back on it and wonder exactly how we used our time. Stay safe and healthy, Jude!

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    1. Hi Janis. Mostly in my journal I’ve been recording the daily COVID-19 stats for British Columbia (I watch the daily update by Provincial Health Officer Dr.Bonnie Henry and look at the BC Centre for Disease Control website), info on how my kids, family, and friends are doing, and a brief summary of what I did that day. I have kept a journal since I was a teenager, but I don’t usually write in it very often. I typically use it work through big life changes (such as retiring or moving), record key milestones, write about things that are distressing to me, and write about goals I am setting for myself. So sometimes (like now) there will be a whole series of entries, then there will be a gap where I won’t record a thing for six months. When I write in my journal as compared to my blog, for example, I can write about personal things, embarrassing things, and uncomfortable emotions, and I don’t have to worry about framing it to make sense to a reader because nobody but me reads my journal.

      And yes, I think it will be interesting to look back on the entries some time in the future, with the benefit of hindsight.

      Jude

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  6. Hi Jude, I am also trying to wean myself off the news 24/7. I totally agree with “soothing to the soul to be in green spaces”. Your #13 made me smile. I find FaceTiming, Video Chatting with the kids has been a treat although, it also drains me. I am trying to keep it together emotionally and say the right things to the grandchildren to minimize any concerns. I have been reading to the 4 and 6 year old and leaving our some of the words where they then make up or recall the words. Also, some Math on a white board. It is basically a way for us to connect and we are keeping it fun. I just downloaded “Zoom” so it should work. A new app for me. Thank you for sharing your suggestions and your day. We will stay connected.

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    1. Erica, I am so grateful to live where I do, surrounded by green spaces and forest trails all around. When I go walking on the trails with the dog, I rarely see more than 3 or 4 people during an hour long walk, and it’s easy to step off the trail so we can social distance as we pass. My daughter set up a children’s version of messenger for my two grandsons, and we spent quite a bit of time yesterday morning talking via the screen. It was fun to talk with them, but I agree, talking with young kids via screen can be a little trying. It’s not like being there in person.

      Jude

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  7. Jude, I have established a slower, and in some ways, more concentrated, routine that is consistent with my retirement lifestyle. Still paying attention to what matters, just in different ways. I've done everything on your list, up to #12, which is a great idea. We part ways at #13, as WINE is essential, virus or no virus. Take care.

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    1. Suzanne, yesterday I spent a couple of enjoyable hours working in my garden, and I had the insight that my calendar has become so overloaded that I’ve had too little time for puttering in the garden and relaxing around home. Although I miss seeing everyone and the social whirl, it’s also fine to slow down a little.

      And as for wine, I totally believe in the occasional glass of wine. But during times of stress, excessive wine guzzling could become a hazard!!

      Jude

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