Concerns about "screen time" are nothing new. For decades, we were worried that people were watching too much TV. Now, the conversation has shifted to mobile phones. At the surface level, this seems like a pretty standard evolution. TVs, computers, tablets, phones... these are all just screens, right? In the same way that we measured and limited the time we spent watching TV, can't we simply measure and limit the time we spend on our phones?
Having just read, ‘Why do we work?’ I find it interesting that ‘idle time’ is something we need to solve for, because it suggests we have a misplaced value in ‘productivity’. What if those few moments waiting in line are an opportunity to connect with a neighbor, or that brief moment of pause on the couch in the morning is a chance to snuggle with your toddler.
Substack has introduced me to many interesting/insightful voices that I can engage with in those moments of ‘downtime’, and I am already finding that it is one more thing that can take me away from those that probably need me to be most present to them.
Having just read, ‘Why do we work?’ I find it interesting that ‘idle time’ is something we need to solve for, because it suggests we have a misplaced value in ‘productivity’. What if those few moments waiting in line are an opportunity to connect with a neighbor, or that brief moment of pause on the couch in the morning is a chance to snuggle with your toddler.
Substack has introduced me to many interesting/insightful voices that I can engage with in those moments of ‘downtime’, and I am already finding that it is one more thing that can take me away from those that probably need me to be most present to them.
thanks for sharing this, Sachin 🙏🏼
i wonder how/if your thoughts have changed since 2018.
i'd also like to put my recent post (re: digital heroin) on your radar. https://opentochange.substack.com/p/growing-up-before-digital-heroin