When You’re Spending Extra Time on Your Telephone Than You Meant To

In the event you haven’t but subscribed to my Substack, it’s the place I get somewhat extra private—writing from the center about self-care, motherhood, wellness, and all issues in between. My neighborhood liked this submit there, so I needed to share an excerpt with you right here.

None of us wakes up planning to spend extra time on our telephones than we wish to. It simply type of… occurs. A fast examine turns right into a 20-minute scroll, and immediately it’s 2 pm, and also you’re unsure the place the morning went. We’ve all been there—which is why I wish to say upfront: this isn’t one other article meant to make you are feeling responsible about your display screen time.

Right here’s the factor—regardless of how a lot intention I carry to my cellphone use, I nonetheless have days the place I’m on it far more than I’d deliberate. It comes up on a regular basis in conversations with my mates, and it most positively comes up in any dialog about elevating children in 2026.

Simply after I suppose I’ve obtained it found out, I can slip proper again into habits that preserve me from the current, free, and full life I truly wish to be dwelling.

Working example: a few weekends in the past, Austin was hit by an ice storm, and we discovered ourselves with 4 full days at house with out anyplace to be. In my thoughts, I had this imaginative and prescient of a comfortable, dreamy weekend—taking part in video games, doing artwork initiatives with the children, cleansing out closets (simply me?), baking cookies, and household film nights. And whereas lots of these issues did occur, there was additionally a complete lot of refreshing my Slack notifications and scrolling by means of Instagram.

I might really feel my nervous system getting louder—the type of wired-but-tired feeling that sneaks up on you whenever you’re consuming greater than you’re processing.

The truth that it coincided with an extremely tumultuous time on the planet didn’t assist. I let myself learn approach too many remark threads of individuals preventing about politics, hurling insults, watching extremely disturbing movies of what was occurring in Minnesota. By Monday evening, I might really feel it in my physique—distracted, anxious, snapping at Adam and the children over issues that usually wouldn’t part me.

Unlock the complete submit right here to learn in regards to the boundaries that shield the elements of life that matter most to me. After I do these, I really feel extra aligned, much less careworn, and like I’ve extra hours within the day.