Marcus Lopés

LGTBQIA2S+ Author, Blogger, Runner

Writing Life

Stepping Back (Again) from Social Media

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It takes discipline not to let social media steal your time.
— Alex Ohanian

As a writer with a day job — and getting older — I am thinking more about how I spend my time. Writing a book isn’t easy, and it involves a huge time commitment. For me, it means getting up in the middle of the night to write before heading to work. That generally means that in the evening I’m too mentally exhausted to write.

A few weeks ago, I spent a couple of weeks monitoring my daily screen time. I was flabbergasted by what I learned about myself. Some days I’d watch a show/movie on Prime Video, play a game, check in on social media, and/or catch up on news headlines (especially after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine). There were weeks when my screen time averaged 9 hours (or, sadly, more) a day. During that period, I had one utterly unfocused, unproductive day when I spent more than 14 hours using my phone. Scary! [Read more…] about Stepping Back (Again) from Social Media

Is this all there is to life?

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Digital minimalism definitively does not reject the innovations of the internet age, but instead rejects the way so many people currently engage with these tools.” — Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism 

It’s not new. I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with social media. Perhaps it is because, by nature, I’m an introvert. Social interactions—with people I care deeply about, yet even more so with those I don’t—leave me drained.

Over the past four to five years, I’ve tried to find a ‘balanced approach’ to social media. But I haven’t succeeded. At times I go all in, posting regularly and consistently as the experts tell us we should to build an audience. Other times, I withdraw for a few weeks…or a few months. Whether I’m online or offline, both states create a feeling that I’m ‘missing’ something. [Read more…] about Is this all there is to life?

Days 8-15 Recap: 30-Day Deep Work Challenge

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Two words: Utter fail.

The intention was there, but not the actions to back it up.

Something was off. I was off. And I’m struggling to fix it.

But I’m determined to get this right, so I’m starting again.

When you see the break down of my screen time below (the days I just gave up and embraced procrastination), you’ll understand why tomorrow will be Day 1 again. [Read more…] about Days 8-15 Recap: 30-Day Deep Work Challenge

Days 5-7 Recap: 30-Day Deep Work Challenge

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These past three days have been challenging when it comes to holding focus and working deeply.

There is this inescapable feeling that, by scaling back on social media and other distractions, that I’m missing something. So, it’s been harder to resist picking up the phone, which is reflected in my screen time.

Still, I’m determined to stay the course and get to a place that helps me focus and work deeply.

I’ve removed the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram apps from my phone. If there is something that I do want to post, I will do it from my laptop.

Screen Time Recap:

Day 5 (Friday,8 April 2022):  1H49M
Day 6 (Saturday, 8 April 2022):  3H28
Day 7 (Sunday, 8 April 2022):  1H49

Read the recap for Days 3 & 4 here.

 

 

Days 3 & 4 Recap: 30-Day Deep Work Challenge

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Day 3 Recap: 6 April 2022

The challenge for me is to become who I dare to believe I can be. To do that means I have to stay focused on my ultimate goal: becoming a bestselling author. I see the words on the screen and I still think, ‘Who am I to dare to set such a goal?’ But I love writing and I love words and telling stories.

I kept the trend going this morning in not picking up my phone until I was ready to leave for work. That mean that my time writing and reading early in the morning was deeply focused. I’m energized and tearing myself from it to get ready for my day job is the last thing I want to do. And getting out of bed at a time that, for a lot of people, is a the middle of the night, has taken on a different energy, too. I’m excited. I’m believing a little more in myself.

Screen Time: 1H28M

Read the Day 2 Recap here.

Day 4 Recap: 7 April 2022

I had the day off from work, and while I managed to not pick up my phone for the first 90 minutes or so of the day, everything really went down hill after that. I didn’t know where to focus, and I couldn’t get into that focused state like I did during the first three days of this challenge. There was this overwhelming feeling that I was missing something, which had me repeatedly picking up my phone. Tomorrow I’ll update my screen time for today, but I know it’s already over 4 hours. While I’m not happy about that, or the lack of progress today, I know I can — and will — do better going forward.

On a positive note, I ran a 5.98 km this afternoon.

Screen Time: 5H18M

 

What is my 30-Day Deep Work Challenge? You can read about it here.