Screentime Downtime

To nurture my mental health, I've been trying to spend less time on my phone and more time reviving hobbies I love.

The first thing I did was take a good look at my yarn stash and make a list of projects to finish. To be honest, crocheting on its own is boring, so I do it while watching TV. Always. Creating something useful almost justifies the time spent sitting in front of the boob tube. 

The problem, though, is televison provides a LOT of brain input. Stories, drama, SCREAMING COMMERCIALS. Watching TV kinda defeats the purpose doing the relaxing activity, but at least I'm off the mobile device.

Second, I dusted off a few books, made a few trips to the library, and maybe bought some new ones. Time is just different when you read. Thirty minutes buried in a book lands just SO much better than half an hour of TV. 

Mostly though, I dove deep into jigsaw puzzles. These have been the best way for me to wind down. They add no new data that my brain needs to process. Unlike TV and books, puzzles input nothing! They do the opposite, in fact. It's a quiet activity that allows my brain to process all the data it has collected throughout the day, mull it over, solve some things, and discard other things. 

Washing dishes by hand does the same thing. I have solved world problems with my hands in hot soapy water.

Taking a solitary walk without earbuds is also good for clearing the brain.

But dishes and walking are chores, not hobbies that I love.

Time spent with a good jigsaw puzzle goes fast. I forget to eat and take bathroom breaks.

My brain clears out so well that it doesn't talk to me when I settle into bed. It's okay to be left alone with my thoughts. I've worked out so many issues over puzzles there are very few left to haunt me in the dark.

Last night, I considered the book I wanted to finish, the crochet projects I wanted to start, and the puzzle spread out on the kitchen table.

Oo, decisions, delicious decisions!

I ended up scrolling Facebook with the TV on for several hours. Of course 🤷‍♀️