Books Over Phones
What a difference it makes to reduce smartphone and social media use. It’s been a couple of weeks since I decided not to take my phone with me when I go to the bathroom, and whoa! my reading time has increased a lot. It’s also true that avoiding the phone first thing in the morning helps with mood and makes starting the day easier.
Waking up, looking at my phone, and then carrying it into the bathroom was a complete waste of time. Scrolling through “the news” didn’t make me feel good. Not doing that definitely improves my mornings. More importantly, I can read more now. It’s not surprising in theory, but actually experiencing the change is nothing short of surprising.
I just finished two books this week.
I’m reading slowly, taking notes, and enjoying it. It has been a pleasure to immerse myself in stories and lessons. Maybe this was the break I needed... something to finally stop me from spending the first hours of the day staring at a tiny screen. Now I use those early hours for reading and thinking. My social media use was already limited since I’ve been avoiding my phone when watching movies, spending time with others, or reading. But the last thing I needed to fix was doomscrolling first thing in the morning. What a waste. I’m glad it’s over.
It’s often said that a writer’s job is to read. I wasn’t doing a good job of that. The more you read, the better you write, and for me, reading also increases motivation to write. So I’ve picked up my long-form writing again. I’m halfway through a flash fiction story that I plan to submit to various publications. The chances of publication may be slim, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.
With more time for reading, the queue of unread books on my shelf is shrinking. This gives me an excuse to buy more. With the help of an AI assistant, I’ve created a list of books to explore next. My focus is philosophy—not because I’m interested in it as an academic subject, but because I see it as a practical manual for life.
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” — George R. R. Martin
Have a great weekend!
