I have to consume less content. Not exactly a very bold or innovative statement, but very true nonetheless.
A lot of people talk about screen time these days. About how it’s affecting both our health and our relationships. But I’m not sure it’s my screen time that is my problem. It’s how I spend it.
My job consists of 75% screen time. I write, read and attend meetings with my eyes locked on a screen. It’s screen time, but it’s mostly productive. And it’s not something I can or want to cut back on. My sparetime consists of about 30% screen time. And most of it is spent consuming content. It hasn’t always been like that.
Consuming content – how did it start?
There’s a lot of different activities that make up my total screen time. Creative stuff like blogging, editing photos or making videos. Social stuff like watching a movie or a TV-show with my wife or the boys. Or playing a video game either by myself or with the family. All things I appreciate and that helps me wind down or have fun.
However most of my screen time I spend consuming content on different platforms like Instagram, YouTube or Facebook. And like so many others I think this consumption is becoming a problem.
I’ve tried to figure out what I get out of the consumption. Why I keep coming back for more. And I can’t find any other reason than it being an escape.
When I first started photography I used YouTube and Instagram to learn. My consumption was very intentional. I searched for answers to different challenges I faced when trying to capture a certain image or make an edit work. Then I started consuming mainly for inspiration. Still somewhat intentionally as I searched for content that told a story. Like Thomas Heatons landscape photography videos.
Mindless scrolling
Today however I find that a lot of the content I consume is totally pointless. Videos of cats, stupid skits, three year olds learning how to snowboard and short form tutorials on how to make perfect joinery in a woodworking project. Really not something I consume to learn or to get inspired. But still what I spend most of my screen time on. Mindless scrolling.
It has to be an escape. And I don’t think I’m alone about it. But what are we escaping from?
Escape from reality
I think for most of us these days reality is that life is really packed. There’s always something we must do, something on the agenda, something that screams for our attention. For me the last 8-10 months has been rather crazy at work. We’ve had a few new things to navigate with the kids. I’ve had to realize that the stairs in our house just isn’t for me anymore. And all of us have watched the world go bonkers.
Creating content, or at least content that means something to you, demands that you are in touch with reality. But when reality always needs something from us, maybe it isn’t that weird that we need to escape from it now and again. Or every day. Mindless scrolling is a great way to escape reality. Who thinks about work when watching a toddler ripping down the powdered hill on a snowboard. While giving themselves words of encouragement. I don’t think anyone does. It’s the perfect escape.
So it’s not so weird that we frequently simply end up consuming content, but it’s still not a good way to spend our (screen) time.
I have to consume less content – the solution
But what’s the solution? It’s not like it’s easy to make life feel less demanding. We need something that helps us relax and log off from reality, right?
I don’t want to point fingers or claim to have the solution for everyone. But I know that for me the solution is to do things that help ground me. If I’m grounded, I’m more likely to pick up the camera or my pencils when I want to unwind. When I’m grounded I’m more likely to create than consume.
So even if consuming content can be relaxing and feel good after a day full of demands, I think I need to do something to get grounded instead. A short meditation, tending to my plants, bringing my camera for a shoot in the local forest. You know the drill. And I think I’ll make an effort to get back to consuming content with intention. I will choose longer form content that either teaches me something or inspires me to get off the short form platforms.
All the best,
Tonje
