Mom-ing Mondays: Putting the Phone Down

I am absolutely guilty of being on my phone way too much. Especially during this time of not seeing family and friends quite as often--and definitely during the “stay at home” order-- is when I noticed the increase in my use of my phone, social media, etc.

A couple of weeks ago, Todd and I had a discussion about it. I decided that I was going to try keeping my phone put away, with volume on in case of a text or phone call, but try to stay off of the phone through the day other than checking for a message here and there.

Here’s what I noticed:
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I was overall in a better mood

I was able to be more present and found myself interacting with the boys more often. I hadn’t realized how much I really was detaching myself from everyday life by looking at social media, creating content, online shopping and so on. After my first day of putting the phone down, I found that I was a bit sad about how much of a difference I felt. 

​I’ve heard news stories and read studies of how addictive phones and social media can be. I’m not oblivious to it. But realizing that one day of less time on my phone made such a big difference in my mood, I knew that my phone usage clearly had become a problem.
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The Kids were More Manageable

From day one, I was able to catch arguments before they started, head off frustrations that were brewing, and just was able to have more fun playing with the boys. This was a huge difference from the normal interactions that had become pretty frequent--kids getting frustrated, and then in turn I would get frustrated with them. By being more present, I could predict behaviors and redirect the boys before we ended up having an issue.
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Keeping it Balanced

These days, it is pretty difficult to just say no to social media and the phones altogether. Especially with trying to create a social media presence--that would be a bit difficult to continue. I enjoy writing this blog, sharing ideas, information and pictures, and I also enjoy seeing what other people create and share.
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What I’ve realized is that there are appropriate times to be in that world, and it isn’t supposed to be while I have time to spend with the kids...or even with Todd for that matter. I can make time for myself and use it as I see fit, and maybe that is the time I can just veg-out and look through posts. I can also just do things in small increments and make sure to not get sucked into scrolling or doing a project when my attention should be elsewhere.

So the idea is not to turn your life upside down, not to totally get rid of your social media or screen time, but be more conscious of it. Think about how present you are throughout your day. I fall back into the habit on certain days and then other days I’m way better. It is definitely something I will need to unlearn and just do my best going forward.