Reframing how my days look: Screen, green, me and down time
Reframing how my days look
Screen, green, me and down time
How we spend our time is remarkably different right now.
We work, care, relax, sleep, make, ponder, think, connect and eat pretty much all in the same physical space. What this is revealing is a few things. One, we are, and have too, slow down, and two, the concept of time has changed. What does this mean?
Let’s thinking about slowing down. I have noticed that I have had to slow down remarkably. I’m a notorious fast paced person who is energised by multiple projects happening at the one time, and I become inspired by working on these different projects. But right now, I have this huge awareness that I can’t do this. Working at home has interrupted the way I usually work. I have been forced to slow down. I can’t work at the same pace I was. What I have noticed that has contributed to this is not being able to shift spaces. I usually move around a lot between cafes, office, classroom, and visiting different sites. I find it hard to be in one place for a full day and I gain energy from different spaces to support different tasks I am doing…no surprises I love café writing with green tea and it was a daily activity. I have also noticed I enjoy being in the company of others, especially to glean intuitive levels of engagement. I am more energised from face-to-face and in person contact when working with others than I am with screen time (I’m zoomed out!). I need to feel the vibe of the room. And digital is changing this for me. This new way of working has forced me to slow down, especially work wise in regards to projects with others.
My awareness of slowing down and time over the last several weeks of distant socialising has lead me to really rethink and reframe how I construct my days. What I have noticed is I can’t multi-task, that I am constantly interrupted, that boundaries are even more important now than ever, and that I need to chunk my time in different ways in order to maintain my cognitive and emotional wellbeing.
The concept of time has altered as well. If you are like me, I actually do not know what day of the week it is without double checking my diary! Time blurs now. And my days feel longer. I have a varied sense of achievement that now involves more accomplishments in the kitchen with cooking of new recipes being tested out, more exercise, more time with my partner, and heaps more connections with friends.
What is being revealed is for all of us is that our routines are changing. Old habits that didn’t suit us are being challenged and we now have the opportunity to form new routines and rituals that help us for right now, and hopefully the future. I’m liking this opportunity. That is being present, and really tuning into what is serving me in approach to time and the need to restructure my days, and thus how I engage with routines, rituals and habits.
Between slowing down and seeing time as a chance to approach my days differently, I have been able to reframe and reposition how I work, how I care for myself and others, and how I engage with others. To be kinder to myself I am thinking about my day like this:
Screen time
Green time
Me time
Down time
Screen time for me is about any and every device that now is a part of the blurred professional and personal life I am living. I’m conscious of how many virtual meetings I attend and how I attend them. Do I need to have a video showing at all? Can I dial in? Do I need to be sitting while I attend? Am I a participant, leading or am I just listening to information sharing? Do I even need to attend the meeting? These types of questions determine how I participate and engage.
I also think about which devices I am using and when. I hotspot from my phone for Wi-Fi connection, so my laptop and mobile phone are married together at the moment. I have had a pattern of listening to audio books and podcasts frequently, but this has now reduced and how I do this is different. I am no longer driving (where I use to listen to these audios) and now I think about when I might engage with them. TV viewing has altered as well. I used to use the TV as a screen to unwind and savour crime shows, but no longer do I do this anywhere near as much. I think I have been engaging with this screen a hand full of times in the past several weeks, opting more to go outside in the garden and potter or head out for a walk (at a distance).
After hours I have always put the phone down, and now more so than ever I do this. Although I have noticed I am “on” the phone more connecting via a conversation, old school calling and speaking to someone, not Face Timing, zooming or chatting via social media. Thus, the purpose of the technology has shifted. These shifts are occurring all over the place. I am making the conscious decision to rethink when and how I use my screens.
Green time, the time in nature, around trees, flowers, gardens, and open space has always been a big one for me. Green time energises me. It is an important part of my self-care toolbox of strategies. However, this is also different right now. Long hikes and mountain bikes rides are no longer available, but what is available are wonderful mindful walks around the neighbourhood. Early mornings are especially special with the sun rising. I am also spending more time in the garden, and sitting outside enjoying a drink or meal where I would have approached this moment in time with a visit to the couch or at local restaurant. Now I’ve been walking at least twice a day to keep myself moving, but to also embrace the nature that is available. I’ve also been bringing green into my home with little cuttings and arrangements.
Me time, the time I spend with myself and on myself. This has also changed. My working from home used to be scheduled time to work on a big project where I could dedicate thought time to it. It was a primary part of my me time. Usually me time centred around research and/or writing. It also formed a significant part of my work me time but also my personal me time. I would not speak to or see anyone from the moment I said goodbye to my partner in the morning to when he returned of the evening. I wouldn’t look at my phone. I wouldn’t be attending meetings. I would write, hang out with myself, and use my time in a way that support my refuelling (a sneaky facial mask while writing appeared every now and then, and I could pull out the yoga mat and have it in the middle of the lounge room to stretch without worrying about being in the way of others, and I could do all those odd jobs that needed doing really quickly as part of my breaks).
Now my me time has changed significantly and I have to make sure I take micro moments for me time each day. I have less of this time but each day I find time to look after me, to check in and see how I am going. I might journal or listen to a specific podcast about a topic that helps nurture my emotional and mental health. I meditate for smaller but more regular periods of time, I take rests as I need them, and I engage with activities that support me to flourish. This me time reboots me, but also helps me to help others.
Down time, when I just stop. This is huge at the moment as our downtime activities are significantly different. I used to enjoy a wine at the local bar. Now I have a wine in my backyard. But most importantly I stop use of computer screens, limit the phone screen, and my boundaries to make sure I stop and relax and move away from my work is stronger.
During the day I add in moments of down time as well – lunch away from the space where I am working for example. I make sure I interject micro-moments of joy as well to treat myself with a lovely green tea away from screens, a conversation with a friend, or a moment where I knit or craft, or head to bed early with a book just to be in the moment, with my thoughts and me. What I have noticed is that my down time moments have increased, and they happen more often.
So, although how we spend our time has changed, as too how it looks, feels and sounds, there is much opportunity present to create new habits and routines that fit into screen, green, me and down time. I’m enjoying the exploration of what is possible. I hope you are as well.