Holy shit I made it! What an amazing trip!.
There have been considerable changes to my life, to me, to my habits and also the way I think over the past 30 days.
So what have I learnt from this experience?
Handwriting
My handwriting has improved exponentially since I’ve been writing in a journal every day. I have to admit that you can’t get your thoughts down as quickly as you can typing, but sometimes it’s good to slow your thoughts down and really contemplate what you’re going to say.
Connections
I’ve found that I’m craving real connections more and more. If I'm starting to feel a little distant from my family I’m actually studying my behaviour and thinking about how I can modify this to get closer. Even though others around me may not have noticed that I’m listening more and actually ”hearing” what people are saying, I certainly am.
I’m no expert yet, but it’s only been a month!
Attention Span
My ability to concentrate on one task for longer has really surprised me. Often my mind used to be scattered and I found I wanted to flit from one project or process to another in quick succession.
Juggling 5-6 different projects all at once and working on them piecemeal ruined my productivity and fried my brain.
Now I find I can focus on one thing, get it done, then move onto the next item.
Productivity
My productivity levels have skyrocketed. Usually at the end of the month I’m scrambling to get my monthly work crammed in because I’ve been f4ckarsing around not getting shit done.
This month? I’ve had a bulk of my work done well in advance.
Attitude
My attitude towards my phone has changed dramatically. Previously it was a precious device I thought I couldn’t live without. I constantly checked it and looked for new apps and games to deck out, bling up and update my phone.
Now? It’s a tool I use to make phone calls, text friends and occasionally check email, surf the web or make on-the-run code edits.
Since I don’t value my phone as greatly as I once did, this has made me re-evaluate the things that really do matter to me.
Reminiscing
Allowing my mind to wander has given me the chance to explore the dustier regions of my psyche and memories.
I’m thinking about things from the past, things that happened in school, old friends, holidays etc etc It’s nice to go over these parts of my memories again. It’s like looking at an old photo album.
Calmness
I’ve found a calmness that I didn’t have before. I used to be very jittery in my thoughts and let things bother me. In fact I think I didn’t even let them bother me, at the first sign of discomfort I would jump into a game or a feed to dive into the sweet bliss of ignorance and diversion once again.
This caused problems to arise repeatedly, or manifest themselves as a heavy drinking session or a blowout in my diet etc. Now? Things still bother me but I’m calmer about them now. The process of allowing my mind to go over things or get them out in my journal was a fine fixer indeed.
Time
I’ve gained so much time back. The hours I used to waste every week on the bullshit of other people’s Farcebook lives and mainstream news items has enabled me to do so many other better things with my time. More time with my kids. More time on my business. More time for myself.
Awareness
Sometimes I feel like Neo when he can see everything in the Matrix. I’m definitely no chosen one yet but my eyes have been opened. I’ve taken the red pill and there’s no turning back.
Appreciation
I now appreciate simple things much more. A sunset or the shapes of clouds, my kids dancing or sitting around a fire with my family.
Previously I would have appreciated the video where the guy stitches together every Michael Jackson grunt, dah and woo into the one video. Now I realise whilst it’s a funny video, what a colossal waste of time that is and that it in no way enriches my life.
Ignorance
I’ve learnt that ignorance can truly be bliss. If you ignore the right things that is. I’ve found the thing that bleep, bloop, whine and squeak, flash and popup are usually the things you can and probably should ignore.
So will I go back to using social media again? Perhaps but I will certainly treat it with the a new found scepticism, disdain and suspicion I think most of it now deserves.
Not being on social media for a month has had no ill effects on me, my business or those around me.