So. We all know I’m working on using my time in better ways. I hesitate to say “more productive,” because that’s a trap I’m trying to sidestep. What I’m seeking, at least right now, is a way to find more joy, creativity, and (cringe a little here if you want) fulfillment through the things where I focus my time.
You know what’s not helping? Reels. Tik Toks, depending on the day.
I know how algorithms work. I know the more I watch certain things, the more I’ll see related things. Yet the time I’m spending watching Reels created from snippets of Queen Charlotte aren’t really adding joy to my day. It’s not that I don’t think Queen Charlotte is worth watching; the opposite is closer to the truth. I want to watch it, “when I have time.” Yet, while I still haven’t found the time to sit down and watch an episode, I keep watching little bits and pieces. If you added all those bits and pieces, I know they more than make up the time needed to watch an episode.
The same goes for the rest of the time I waste clicking around on random things.
Now, I know recognizing issues is an important part of overcoming issues, but this one feels like it’s getting harder for me instead of easier. With all of the integration of platforms, I find myself falling into a rabbit hole of incomplete content, when I used to use social media for connection or (on rare occasions) inspiration.
I realize I can shift my algorithm by watching more content to related to the things I’m trying to focus on this summer. I’m not sure that’s the answer. I want to practice creating without the pressure of “should I make reels?” “this author’s reels make me want to read her books,” and that doesn’t even touch on the mammoth corner of the internet that is BookTok and Bookstagram.
I’m hopeful the more I try to fill my time with a variety of books, some of which can be read in snippets, unlike my beloved novels, the less I’ll find myself staring at a screen in the middle of the day, at least the screens containing things created by people other than myself.
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