Açaí bowls, morning yoga in the sunlight, journaling – we all know the aesthetic that seems impossible for the average college student to achieve. My question is what part of the fantasy is attainable and how?
I have tried to be ‘that girl’ several times, but it is an overwhelming routine to get into. Obviously, overwhelming yourself is the opposite of what that lifestyle is supposed to achieve. The tastes I’ve had of this lifestyle on the occasion I get up in the 6 o’clock hour or write a journal entry always feel so good but are not addicting enough to make a routine of it.
My longest streak of ‘that girl’ habits came from when I found an accountability buddy. We would check in on each other and make sure that goals had real deadlines. I think we worked out for a month straight in the mornings, which was amazing, but eventually, the routine loses its high, and I was back to rolling around in bed until I was almost late to get to class.
So what am I doing different this time?
I figured out that the root issue is phone addiction and scrolling away time that could be spent on me. Phone addiction is something most of us suffer from, and ending it is almost unthinkable. There is a voice in your head that says, “if I delete Instagram, I will be disconnected from the world.”
Of course, if you get past that voice, you realize that it is ok to be a little disconnected if you are a better version of yourself. I am slowly turning my phone into a tool for growth instead of something that steals my energy. Here are a few of the strategies that are helping me separate my life and my phone:
1. Replacing Scrolling
It is way too hard to just drop all those hours spent on your phone every day to nothing. Despite my screen time limits, somehow I was still spending 4+ hours a day on my phone. The breakdown was largely due to messaging apps, YouTube, and social media.
I downloaded Tetris and picked up a new language on Duo Lingo to not waste that time on endless content. These apps solved the craving for validation and entertainment in a healthier way and in less time.
2. Automation
The app replacements have helped, but I still wanted my morning to start earlier than 15 minutes before I had to be in class. To get out of bed earlier, I have set a podcast to automatically start playing at 7:30 am using the Shortcuts app. This works as an alarm and something to do other than scroll.
The automation helps because I don’t even have to unlock my phone for the podcast to play, thus reducing the risk of getting distracted. Even better, the podcast I’ve been listening to is “The Make Your Damn Bed” podcast, which has given me the motivation to start another good habit of making my bed in the morning.
3. Silencing the Distractions
I have realized that seeing the little bubble above any app is too much for me to resist. Even worse, if the bubble isn’t there, I will go to an app like my email and refresh it in hopes an email will appear.
To break this habit, I created a custom focus mode that silences all notifications during my study times, and I have turned off badge notifications for the distracting apps. Specifically, on my phone, I’ve hidden apps in the app drawer or by nesting them in smart stack widgets. This way they are accessible but not so easy to impulsively tap on. Also, scheduling time to check email or other important apps has helped to end the urge to refresh.
The Path to Improvement
I definitely am new to this routine, but I already am feeling the effects. I feel hopeful that I can continue to become less dependent on my phone and spend more time on self-growth. There is no better time to start a new healthy routine than today <3