I am trying to cut out Reddit from my life but I’m always ending up re-installing it because I simply don’t know what do with my time. We have two small kids (1y and 3y) so I can’t simply just read more, train more, play games, watch TV, etc.
It’s rather… Reddit filled those small micro breaks I get throughout the day. When I have a few minutes on my own when my wife has the kids.
Lemmy is nice but it’s just not enough content to fill this need. I have been thinking about Blinkist or reading something lighter on my phone (something which is easy to take a break from whenever).
I dunno, lemmy seems to not do it for you, but I think that’s a good thing.
I’m not trying to ignore what you’re asking, but this is one of those things where you may have the chance to get rid of part of the digital world rather than just changing what part you use.
If it’s only a few minutes here and there, you don’t have to fill the time with distractions. Post reddit, when lemmy isn’t enough to fill time (and my disabled ass has way more time than anything else), I end up going back to the way I used to spend short periods of time pre-reddit.
I just don’t do anything external necessarily. I may end up doing something like wiping down the counter/table, or whatever little chore is handy, but I just let myself drop into mindfulness. Not in a fully meditative sense, but just moving and letting myself process the sensations while my mind drifts a little. Kind of like when you’re in the shower, only more active.
The physical sensations keep the mind busy enough that thoughts don’t get heavy or pulled towards the next task that’s necessary. That lets the mind drift and rest pleasantly.
That’s a great way to spend five or ten minutes. It refreshes, and it really feels like more time than it is, so it feels like more of a break than chasing some specific activity does.
Time doesn’t have to be filled with the external.