Disabling my iPhone... from online stream.
It all started after reading this article about his distraction-free iPhone. The part where the writer Jake Knapp describes the way he used to open his iPhone whenever he got bored... sounded oddly familiar to me. Because our online business is 24/7 open, I have been giving myself emotional excuses to check my email, respond on Instagram photos, comment on Facebook whenever I had a second of spare time... like when I waited for traffic lights, pasta to cook, or Roo to sit on a toilet. (I know... it's terrible... but at least I usually stepped out of the bathroom so me+phone was out of Roo's sight.)
I was feeling more ADD than I really needed to operate my life and I sort of knew where it was coming from. So when I read his article, I told myself... "I work hard and it's okay to step away from business during my off-time".
Today my iPhone has a blank main screen with phone, calendar, text and camera functions when I swipe it open. The second screen has email (though disabled unless emergency), clock and Instagram... then the third screen with few more utility based apps (picture, weather, safari, map).
I still take tons of iPhone photos and post some of them on my Instagram stream but I have been making a conscious effort "not" to browse the stream every time I post a pic. I save my Instagram browsing to a special treat moment when I stand on a line at a local post office. (I do this almost everyday... so I figured this will give me a healthy motivation to stand on a long line:)
It has been a nice change. Everything is available when I sit in front of my laptop to work anyways so I am pretty convinced that I haven't been really missing much information...
and I believe it takes looking inward and reflecting (or chasing after) my own thoughts to let new ideas, thoughts and projects to come alive... and more importantly be REALLY there when a little moment of happiness unveils itself.
Happy Friday!
I hope you have a lovely weekend...
pics from our recent visit to Altadena farmer's market - our favorite new picnic spot.
