My phone usage was 26 hours yesterday.

[Anastas Sia]

My average usage is 12 hours a day. I can't even grab a paint brush or do anything at all without having my phone with me, anything I do is with background noise of youtube videos or music. Everything in my life suffers because of this, but I'm so unconscious I can't comprehend to what extent I'm fucking myself over, and I'm too undisciplined and numb to stop.

When I first discovered actualized.org, at 16, I meditated 2 hours that day and managed to meditate an hour a day for two months after that. Then it was on and off, in total I think I have 5-6 months of meditation experience in two years, I'm 18 now. I haven't meditated consistently in over a year, and everything is becoming worse.

No motivational video is going to help me. My stupid monkey brain is making this seem more complicated.

 

 

[Roy]

I have a little pro tip that might help you > Uninstall all apps you have on your phone that you can do on your computer. So Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. That way you'll actually have to deliberately sit down and be at home to use those things, and it won't be distracting you during your day - whether you're at work, with friends, and so on...

You want your phone to basically just be a way to text and communicate with people, and as an emergency device encase you need help or need maps because you are lost. You won't only save time but can actually save some money by cutting back on your DATA plan 

You have to be ruthless about this though. Actually sit down and consciously go through every single APP on your phone and eliminate what you consider a distraction that needs to go.

I exclusively use my phone for communication and google maps so I can find things. No social media, no games, etc.

A minimalist attitude and approach is what you need to adopt. Because you see, we are in a "Cult of Convenience". Everything about our economy and the way technology is designed is to make just slightly easier, and to have the ability to do more pointless shit anywhere we are.

All of this serves is to endlessly distract us from living life purposefully. Just think about how many people have died being hit by cars because they were looking at a stupid Facebook notification. It's just so convenient that it is right there on their phone, and they couldn't wait to look because it was so convenient when they felt their phone buzz in their pocket. Now they are dead when they could have just waited to get home and check it from the safety of their living room.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Roy

[Anastas Sia]

@Roy @Husseinisdoingfinethanks so much for replying.

I came back from a walk just now, left my phone at home, exercised a little bit.

50% of my classes at art school are online, so I'm home most of the time. I installed appblock on my phone a long time ago but its disabled by plugging your charger in so I can disable it at any time at home, which sucks.

I have a laptop but I rarely use it, I do almost everything on my phone, and my phone won't let me uninstall youtube because its a "system app"

I realize that I haven't committed 100% to this, there was a bit of doubt every time, and I lost trust in myself because of how many times I failed.

So far its been 3 hours since I woke up and I haven't opened youtube,  I'm gonna try the Osho meditation today and start over, thanks again!

 

[ilkjnkh]

@Anastas Sia Good luck.

[Osaid]

Do you use earphones a lot? I noticed that I always have earphones on while using my phone, and surprisingly it has a big effect on keeping me plugged into the phone. When I take them off, it is much easier to leave my phone and it instantly makes me feel more present and awake. Seems to be some sort of psychological thing.

[Anastas Sia]

@ilkjnkhThanks

@OsaidI use them when people are around, I'll definitely leave them at home from now on

[integral]

I dont have a phone, problem solved  

[Anastas Sia]

@Husseinisdoingfine It opened me up a bit, but I think I would have gotten better results if I were more mindful, I didn't even prepare before starting. After stage 2 and 3 I was so exhausted, at stage 4 my body was very still but my mind won't shut up, thoughts on top of thoughts on top of thoughts... then i tried to move but was too tired so i lied down like a star fish for the rest of it.

Right now I'm so unaware I rarely pay attention to sensations in my body, and its even harder to do while moving. I'll definitely try it again.

[Anastas Sia]

@Husseinisdoingfine Thank you, I'll try my best

[Dryas]

Quit all social media

[Nahm]

@Anastas Sia

You’re awesome. Seriously. You’re a really great person. You have a great life, and it’s only going to get greater and greater and greater. 

 

[Anastas Sia]

@Nahm Thank you

An update:

Since I created this topic I've only watched a few educational videos including Leo's which I deliberately searched for. I also clicked on some videos I usually watch but it quickly stopped being interesting. When I was out I've opened twitter a few times but realized that it gives me absolutely nothing of value, it's not even fun, so I put my phone down and didn't want look at it again. I "knew" that it gives me nothing of value but I guess now I've experienced it. I still don't have a regular meditation practice so I'm gonna start a journal and work on waking up on time which is easier now because I don't stay up late watching videos. This is only day 3 so I can't relax now!!!

I also set up a launcher on my phone so my homescreen looks like this which is so convenient