Sleep patterns - I’ve started to become one of those people who go to bed when they’re tired, groundbreaking I know. Some nights, I’m tried as early as 7:30 PM and I’m no longer upset about it at all. At first, going to bed early felt like the worst thing in the world. My favorite time of day was night. It was quiet, I could do what I wanted, and I often stayed up very late for no apparent reason. What exactly was I doing? NOTHING. There is a time and place for doing nothing, but forgoing sleep to do nothing seemed really dumb. Since getting my CPAP, I’ve felt more refreshed and I’m sleeping longer than before. I am still an early riser, because of work, hitting the trail early, and my body’s natural rhythm, so I needed to go to bed earlier than ever before to ensure I was getting enough rest. I’m up between 4:30-5:00 AM every day, sometimes 5-7:00 AM on days off. I love the morning, and I’d rather have my quiet “nothing” time during that time of day than not getting enough sleep. Going to bed early means my west coast friends and I don’t text or call as often, in fact they are sometimes still awake when I get up at 4:30 and we chat then. It means most people who want to chat after 7-8:00 PM eastern time are shit out of luck. I say that with love, but honestly, I’m working hard to be mindful of sleep and my phone does go into “do not disturb” so I can drift away from reality and into a dreamland.
Being less available - When it comes to work, I’m available during my workday anytime. Need help? Sure thing. When I’m home, I’m usually caught up in chores or doing whatever around the house and it can take me a minute. I’m not a surgeon or out here saving lives, so an immediate response is not necessary. I took this model and moved it to people. Not everyone gets an immediate response. I may read your message, but I may want to think a little on how I’ll respond. Maybe, just maybe, I’m not in the mood to talk or text, please don’t take offense. Before cell phones, we were tethered to landlines when we wanted to use the phone. Those calls often felt a little more purposeful and I’d like to balance the urgency mixed with the ways of the past for better balance. Sometimes, I’m in the mood for nonsense and rapid fire texts and meme sharing. Other times, I don’t even want to look at my phone. Both are valid.
Surrendering to things to overcome them - You know those sayings like “ugh, I’m turning into my father” or “I’ve become one of those people” right? Well, I’m just giving in to those things. I’m starting to acknowledge my traits that came from the people who raised me, good or bad, and I’m starting to realize the type of “person” I’m becoming. I’m a “falls asleep on the couch at 7:30 PM and just says I’m resting my eyes” person now and that’s okay. I’m a “do a puzzle all weekend” kind of person now or a “build a LEGO set instead of interacting with people” person. I’m a disappear for the weekend person. I’m surrendering to going to bed earlier and enjoying my mornings. I’m giving in to my desire to be alone, and being okay with doing things alone if that’s how it’s going to go.
Using my phone less and being okay with it - Going to bed earlier has led to using my phone less. Commuting means I’m using my phone less for things other than media, which is kind of nice. I don’t mind the occasional phone call while I’m driving, but I usually just like to unwind in the car these days. My job is actually very busy, which is great, because the time passes quickly and I don’t use my phone that much. I used to take my phone everywhere with me, but now it stays on my desk and rarely leaves unless I’m out doing inspections and need it just in case. I’m utilizing “focus” and “do not disturb” modes to help keep me in check. I get caught up in socials or reading things on my phone or having conversations. Social media is almost grating on my eyes now due to all of the advertisements, so my usage is down quite a bit and is different than it used to be. I know that I can be addicted to my phone, so these steps are good for my brain and necessary to use it less. When I take a call or respond to texts, I want it to mean something. I want to be excited to talk to you.