it's that damn phone - Forum

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:
People with hobbies and stuff, how are you guys zeroing in on those instead of being on your devices sad

I think i've always been horrible with balancing being on the internet VS doing my real legit hobbies that won't fill me with FOMO and dread, but it gets to a point!!

this is literally me scrolling through vp, twitter and also playing township and heartopia at the same exact time

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:
and i'll do this, then lament about not playing piano that well

#help

Private
National Star

Hauru wrote:
i look exactly like this unfortunately

Aske
Prince of Pop

Aske wrote:
if i feel like being on my devices ill just multitask, its easily combineable
but it gets boring idk, i want to do stuff, i dont actively zero in on stuff it just consumes me because its the more interesting activity

LexiLuvsKirby
Youtube Star

LexiLuvsKirby wrote:
Idk I just sometimes get bored of doom scrolling cuz it makes me feel gross somehow so I have to look for something to do or make or draw.
Sometimes I still use the phone as I do my crafty activity to listen to music or for inspo pics

Klavier
Minister of Pop

Klavier wrote:
honestly?? this is the least fun answer to get ever but genuinely my answer is just.... put tha damn thing away

which is not always easy obviously but aside from weeding out distraction points (i do not have any social medias aside from like.. youtube, discord and VIRTUALPOPSTAR!!!!!), fr just working on the Skill to just say "that's enough of that" and put that shit down is the key

even when you don't fully put things away, adjusting and removing any elements that keep your attention on the distractions does so much more than you might think in the moment. on my pc i've had all visual indicators for new discord notifications (aka the red dot and the icon blinking in the task bar) turned off for months now, and upon first turning them off i didn't fully realize how i had developed an actual habit of letting my eyes drift down to look at that fkn icon until there was nothing to look at anymore. every time i did ANYTHING on my pc i was glancing down at that icon every other minute or so, and i realized just how distracting that shit really is, even if it seems like nothing and you might not realize how much it effects you in the moment lol. it does.

so ig i would say try to start with thinking, like, "do i really need notifications on for this thing when i'm gonna see it anyway?", and make other small adjustments that might make a mostly unnoticeable difference. small steps are still steps

and if you wanna brute force it, look at content related to your hobby and hope that it'll rewire your brain into thinking "y'know what, i'm gonna do that instead", and then strike and put that shit away as soon as the motivation hits 👍

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:

Klavier wrote:
honestly?? this is the least fun answer to get ever but genuinely my answer is just.... put tha damn thing away

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:

Aske wrote:
if i feel like being on my devices ill just multitask, its easily combineable
but it gets boring idk, i want to do stuff, i dont actively zero in on stuff it just consumes me because its the more interesting activity

maybe i need to make my activities more exciting, but like...how when i can switch between the same browser tabs all day

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:

LexiLuvsKirby wrote:
Idk I just sometimes get bored of doom scrolling cuz it makes me feel gross somehow so I have to look for something to do or make or draw.
Sometimes I still use the phone as I do my crafty activity to listen to music or for inspo pics

doom scrolling does feel gross but even then i can find something else to do on the phone/laptop

is it too late for me

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:

Klavier wrote:
honestly?? this is the least fun answer to get ever but genuinely my answer is just.... put tha damn thing away

which is not always easy obviously but aside from weeding out distraction points (i do not have any social medias aside from like.. youtube, discord and VIRTUALPOPSTAR!!!!!), fr just working on the Skill to just say "that's enough of that" and put that shit down is the key

even when you don't fully put things away, adjusting and removing any elements that keep your attention on the distractions does so much more than you might think in the moment. on my pc i've had all visual indicators for new discord notifications (aka the red dot and the icon blinking in the task bar) turned off for months now, and upon first turning them off i didn't fully realize how i had developed an actual habit of letting my eyes drift down to look at that fkn icon until there was nothing to look at anymore. every time i did ANYTHING on my pc i was glancing down at that icon every other minute or so, and i realized just how distracting that shit really is, even if it seems like nothing and you might not realize how much it effects you in the moment lol. it does.

so ig i would say try to start with thinking, like, "do i really need notifications on for this thing when i'm gonna see it anyway?", and make other small adjustments that might make a mostly unnoticeable difference. small steps are still steps

and if you wanna brute force it, look at content related to your hobby and hope that it'll rewire your brain into thinking "y'know what, i'm gonna do that instead", and then strike and put that shit away as soon as the motivation hits 👍

The thing is...vp has no notifications, and lately there isn't even much to do...i'm literally just on here, then i check the other dress up sites, go to twitter and youtube, then come back inbetween to vp till something happens

i might need a box to lock the devices in bc the habit is getting a little too real

save for the things i have to do like walking the dog and stuff

Private
National Star

Dew wrote:
YOUR HOBBIES ARE REAL BTW just bc they're on a device doesn't make them less of a hobby honestly ur fine

but I would recommend reading it's the only reason my attention span isn't fried

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:

Dew wrote:
YOUR HOBBIES ARE REAL BTW just bc they're on a device doesn't make them less of a hobby honestly ur fine

but I would recommend reading it's the only reason my attention span isn't fried

They're real but they feel so wasteful for some reason

i read a handful of lines and start daydreaming, like it's really bad for me rn

Private
National Star

Dew wrote:

Olympus wrote:

Dew wrote:
YOUR HOBBIES ARE REAL BTW just bc they're on a device doesn't make them less of a hobby honestly ur fine

but I would recommend reading it's the only reason my attention span isn't fried

They're real but they feel so wasteful for some reason

i read a handful of lines and start daydreaming, like it's really bad for me rn

LMFAOOOOOOOOOO oh no that's fine, it's not for everyone.

honestly think of the stuff u like doing in hearttopia and ur games and do them irl. start planting some vegetables ina bucket and gardening or somethin

also hobbies shouldn't fill u with fomo or dread, they should always be leisurely or fun. there's a bajillion out there, don't compare what ur doing to others and just find one you like and if it sticks, it sticks. if it doesn't.. NEXT ONE!

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:

Dew wrote:

Olympus wrote:

Dew wrote:
YOUR HOBBIES ARE REAL BTW just bc they're on a device doesn't make them less of a hobby honestly ur fine

but I would recommend reading it's the only reason my attention span isn't fried

They're real but they feel so wasteful for some reason

i read a handful of lines and start daydreaming, like it's really bad for me rn

LMFAOOOOOOOOOO oh no that's fine, it's not for everyone.

honestly think of the stuff u like doing in hearttopia and ur games and do them irl. start planting some vegetables ina bucket and gardening or somethin

also hobbies shouldn't fill u with fomo or dread, they should always be leisurely or fun. there's a bajillion out there, don't compare what ur doing to others and just find one you like and if it sticks, it sticks. if it doesn't.. NEXT ONE!

No like, reading is for me though, it is one of my hobbies! my attention span is COOKED (it actually might be getting better bc i've been forcing myself to read a book i got in like 2017idk tho)

it's the scrolling and finding stuff to look at on social media that is filling me with dread, the FOMO is coming from seeing people do what i want to do...my issue is also, i want to be #Outside but it's winter AND i live in a small town, there is nothing to. do.

indoor hobbies wise...i literally think of doing my hobbies all day, like i look at my desk and know i could be doing anything there, but i stay on my laptop having a miserable experience because i'm not really feeling the content i'm consuming

i put masking tape in my watercolour pad, to make sure i paint something...it is still sitting there with no paint. i did that last week!!

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:
like okay, maybe i'm just not serious sad

Olympus
Popstar

Olympus wrote:
mind you, my eyes get sore and hurt if i'm on my devices too long and you would think i would take a break then. but i always. find. something. to. do.