I’ve done pretty well at reducing doomscrolling. I spent an average of four hours a day scrolling through Instagram and WhatsApp alone. That’s roughly 28 hours a week, and akin to working a part-time job.
Lately, I’ve managed to slash that duration down to 13 minutes for each app. App blockers and mindfulness tricks have worked wonders.
However, halving my total screen time from six hours to a healthier three hours is challenging.
My Android phone is where I work and manage almost everything. It’s faster and more convenient than opening my laptop for every small task.
Recently, I attempted to go manual in organizing my life. It’s a mistake I’m never making again. I’ll explain.
Digital calendars aren’t for decoration
They literally tie my life together
I don’t think I give my workflow apps enough flowers for how well they structure my routines. Every task or reminder fits somewhere between Fossify and Google Calendars. Yet, these two apps couldn’t be more different.
I initially tried ditching Google completely. I wanted to stop depending on the cloud and get full control over my data. Fossify was the perfect lightweight and offline-first solution.
However, I quickly realized how Gmail, synced reminders with Assistant, and invites drop seamlessly into my agenda on the former. I found myself missing those small but crucial things.
So, I found a middle ground where Fossify was my private notebook for period tracking and more personal errands. Google Calendar remained my public-facing planner and synced my professional life.
Recently, I tested how far I could go without both and be more present in reality. I turned off notifications for all major apps.
To fill the gap, I bought a paper planner, a pocket notebook, a wall calendar, and a cheap alarm clock. Basically, replacing every virtual tool with a physical alternative.
If I was going to live without my phone, I would do it properly. If I needed updates for any event, I would check it myself.
Without constant pings, I realized how much blank space existed in my day. There was too much time than I knew what to do.
So I picked up my old hobbies again. I started knitting, finishing my old sketches, and other activities. I was soon reminded that peace comes at a cost.
Ditching your phone doesn’t set you free
It just makes you your own underpaid assistant
There are many nuances to jotting down your schedule that devices cover up.
Tasks that usually took me thirty minutes to complete stretched into an hour and beyond.
I kept stopping halfway to check my journal or recheck my planner. I had this itching feeling that I was forgetting something, which I almost always was.
So, I spent more time organizing my day than actually living it.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t live without my phone. I technically could. But I couldn’t maintain order without the automated system I once relied on.
I underestimated the stress of being my own archivist and secretary. It takes time to find what you’ve written or sort through files, especially when it’s a lot.
On some occasions, I’d miss my virtual classes and meetings because I skipped an entry and didn’t set alarms.
It meant I had to revisit recordings to catch up, if there were any, which I procrastinated on and wasted more time. Things started to pile up.
It took a toll on my mental health, since I was constantly switching modes. If I wasn’t remembering or verifying something, I was hunched over my desk planning before getting to the main work. I eventually burnt myself out.
What made it more humbling was realizing that I no longer remembered things as sharply as I used to.
In my early twenties, I could memorize all my appointments. But aging happens sooner than you’d think, coupled with fatigue and the sheer volume of information we process every day.
I’m lost without Google Maps’ navigation
My intuition didn’t recalibrate when I missed a turn
One thing I pride myself on is knowing most of the routes around my city. I’ve lived here long enough to recognize most shortcuts and back roads.
Still, even with all that knowledge, it helps when you use Google Maps to see traffic ahead of time, stack stops, and shave your trip down to minutes with the best routes.
Working from home has saved me from moving around constantly. But on the rare instances when I do go out, I’m always trying to save costs since I’ve reduced my reliance on ride-hailing apps.
In overhauling my smart tools, I’d swapped out Maps for a paper map and good old-fashioned intuition.
It wasn’t a complete disaster in the sense that I got lost. But I was forced to mentally calculate distances and estimate turnoffs on fast-paced routes.
Without the active blue arrow guiding me turn-by-turn, there was no live feedback loop. So, I occasionally passed landmarks. Doubling back usually made me walk under the scorching sun.
Sometimes, I’d flag down rickshaws and bikes to retrace my steps when walking seemed tiring.
Practice intentional digital well-being
Technology has its good sides. But much of it runs through invisible networks we can’t fully detach from. We’d be lying to ourselves that we could function the same if we do.
However, there’s a way to curate our lives so that it doesn’t consume us. My mistake was shutting down my digital life.
I should’ve stuck to reducing screen time on the least important apps, rather than overhauling the entire systems that hold my day together. Likewise, find a way to use your tools intentionally and not constantly.
Automation exists to simplify your routines and buy you time. Mindlessness is the enemy that hinders how effectively it works.
