I'm probably not the only one trying to eliminate algorithmic quick fixes from my life. No idea if this will work in the long term, but sharing in case anyone gets anything out of it. It'd be nice...
When you're stressed or tired, it's too easy to escape into your phone and start scrolling. But scanning through news headlines or arguments on social media may just stress you out more. Plus, more scrolling time is also more sedentary time, which can quickly compound feeling low.
In contrast, physical activity triggers a more gradual release of dopamine alongside other mood-boosting and stress-busting neurochemicals that ease stress, depression, anxiety and cognitive overload. Minutes spent moving can also reduce fatigue, improve concentration and boost creativity.
...
The concept of psychological flexibility can help you build a new habit of reaching for movement instead of your phone. It comes from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT, a type of therapy that's been shown to be effective for health behavior change. It's the skill of opening up to uncomfortable emotions, thoughts and feelings and taking value-oriented action even in the face of inner obstacles.
I'm probably not the only one trying to eliminate algorithmic quick fixes from my life. No idea if this will work in the long term, but sharing in case anyone gets anything out of it.
It'd be nice not to feel so fucking stressed out all the time, and to avoid taking periodic breaks to scroll that I know will make me feel worse.
I struggle every winter. It's too cold and gross out (Chicago) to do much of anything, so I stay stuck inside for a few months. I can feel myself and my body yearning for spring. I've already made...
I struggle every winter. It's too cold and gross out (Chicago) to do much of anything, so I stay stuck inside for a few months. I can feel myself and my body yearning for spring.
I've already made plans for this spring/summer/fall to go out and do some bike packing/backpacking trips and I just can't wait to get started. Now if I could only find the time for it!
I know it's not the same for everyone but I remind myself of the saying "No bad weather, only bad gear" and force myself to go. I brought my hiking boots to work with me one day because it rained...
I know it's not the same for everyone but I remind myself of the saying "No bad weather, only bad gear" and force myself to go. I brought my hiking boots to work with me one day because it rained and the path I usually walk might be muddy (it was, very) but thankfully I had them so I still got my daily walk in.
If Chicago is anything like Seoul, sounds like you need windproof gear and some warm layers! Force yourself to brave the weather, a half mile walk in terrible weather might not be as fun as a ten mile trek on a perfect day but it's still an accomplishment!
Or, get a VR headset and Superhot VR. That's a workout too.
I wrote a lot of text but realized it all boiled down to "yep, I try to get out as much as I can!" I just can't do as much as in other seasons and by this time of year I'm just itching to get...
I wrote a lot of text but realized it all boiled down to "yep, I try to get out as much as I can!"
I just can't do as much as in other seasons and by this time of year I'm just itching to get outside again.
I started doing BJJ to get away from the cold. I recommend finding an indoor activity you enjoy, and when it’s a group class setting it really takes away the pressure of needing to self motivate.
I started doing BJJ to get away from the cold. I recommend finding an indoor activity you enjoy, and when it’s a group class setting it really takes away the pressure of needing to self motivate.
May I suggest getting something like a treadmill? Due to some health issues it was no longer safe for me to do my usual long distance running outdoors. I bought a manual treadmill mainly to regain...
May I suggest getting something like a treadmill?
Due to some health issues it was no longer safe for me to do my usual long distance running outdoors. I bought a manual treadmill mainly to regain stamina. Manual because I prefer the simplicity and not be overly reliant on electronics. While it's not as pleasant as running outdoors (the incline on the manual treadmill, oof!), the positive effects are still there.
Since I was used to walking up an incline, walking on flat ground IRL became effortless. I could go up steep flight of stairs without catching my breath. The treadmill is also great when it's raining outside.
I just put on an audiobook while walking on the treadmill, it's rather cathartic and I always feel great after the workout!
My wife has a variety of machines and things like this she uses, and while it's interesting for some time eventually the ADHD kicks in and I just can't bring myself to do the same exercise in the...
My wife has a variety of machines and things like this she uses, and while it's interesting for some time eventually the ADHD kicks in and I just can't bring myself to do the same exercise in the same place and way again.
I love cycling because it means I get to go out and explore. I love finding new paths, places, and things to see. Scratches a very deep itch.
I wrote this poem about the subject a number of years ago after recovering from one of my many injuries: FIRST START WALKING First start walking as far as you can then walk a little more each day...
Exemplary
I wrote this poem about the subject a number of years ago after recovering from one of my many injuries:
FIRST START WALKING
First start walking
as far as you can
then walk a little more each day
walk faster & farther
find hills
breathe more deeply
untie all your knots
make time to walk more
examine your life
dream
start walking everywhere
explore your neighborhood
study the land
learn local history
discover when the berries ripen
and the flowers bloom
stand in the rain
watch the sun sail across the sky
discover nature’s rhythms
live in the place where time vanishes
lose your desire for all material things
know your place in the universe
I’m kind of surprised that these are all things that to one extent or another, I am already doing. One thing that popped out to me was number 8, which was about trying to get rid of sources of...
I’m kind of surprised that these are all things that to one extent or another, I am already doing.
One thing that popped out to me was number 8, which was about trying to get rid of sources of worry and it explicitly begins with news. In the news recommendation thread that popped up the other day I really wanted to write a response telling people to stop actively seeking the news. It is almost universally designed to scare you and push you into worrying constantly. It is bad for your mental health to read. If there is a big story, it will come to you regardless of your subscriptions, and you can look them up if it’s really that important.
Honestly, that's why I didn't post in that thread either. I've found that everything I truly need to know finds its way to me whether I seek it out or not. Generally, anyway. As a result, I don't...
If there is a big story, it will come to you regardless of your subscriptions, and you can look them up if it’s really that important.
Honestly, that's why I didn't post in that thread either. I've found that everything I truly need to know finds its way to me whether I seek it out or not. Generally, anyway. As a result, I don't actually actively follow any news sources whatsoever.
I used to be what one podcast I listen to jokingly calls an "article pervert"--I would read headlines obsessively, and would refresh PopUrls (now reinvented as Upstract) constantly throughout the day, scrolling through about 20 or 30 separate news sources. It wasn't always a bad thing at first, but starting around 2015 (we all know why), I found absorbing news to not only be increasingly stressful, but not even productive, because many mainstream outlets shifted to focusing only on clickbaity stories about factional drama, or whatever outrageous thing some stupid American GOP mouthpiece most recently said. I was not getting better informed about anything useful except glorified gossip.
But like you say, it doesn't mean I don't see the news. It'll still turn up on places like Bluesky and Tildes and, to a lesser degree, Reddit since I heavily curate my account feed to avoid almost all politics. Consuming news filtered through other people who's opinions on what's important I'll actually listen to has lightened my day-to-day mood considerably.
I'm almost the same as you. Now that I don't actively check the news anymore, I still broadly know what's going on. Because of where we live, my habits probably upticked at the same time as yours....
I'm almost the same as you. Now that I don't actively check the news anymore, I still broadly know what's going on.
Because of where we live, my habits probably upticked at the same time as yours. It didn't actually let me know anything that would change what I could do, and as you say, it was mostly clickbait and the latest GOP craziness.
I do have a few friends who have to check the news daily for their jobs, and one of them recommended this new site, News Minimalist. It's American focused so may not be as good for people outside of the states.
But for people like us, consuming 'news' isn't productive. We find out about events through other channels. And I've found algorithmically delivered content to skew towards other people's opinions on the news, but there's not even a (low) editorial bar to clear for them to get published.
Life's better without it, I think. I can still be an informed, engaged and active citizen without listening to what some random dipshit on Instagram or TikTok thinks of things.
Not all news, though I admit nearly all of it in the USA is biased, yellow(tabloid) journalism. I get most news from reading, I avoid the worst offenders (like CNN & Fox) and learned to pick out...
Not all news, though I admit nearly all of it in the USA is biased, yellow(tabloid) journalism.
I get most news from reading, I avoid the worst offenders (like CNN & Fox) and learned to pick out words that are used to manipulate readers which mitigates their affect to some degree. The difficult part is the missing, twisted and unnecessary facts that are hard to get past without research which can leave you feeling stressed until you have enough info to know the full story. I can't wait until an AI is created that can look at what you're reading and point out the BS by doing the research for you.
I seek news out because in my experience news that finds me is usually from people who can't parse the BS from the truth and are freaking out about something the news said (like my mother). Especially with our idiot-in-chief, what he does is bad enough but then the news ramps that up 100 fold and throws in stories that are basically rumors, twisted information and irrelevant events made out to be world ending issues "He farted, we're all doomed!".
Here's the thing though: all news is propaganda. And I say that in that all media is propaganda. It is impossible to write anything that is unbiased, and when it comes to the news, they have...
Here's the thing though: all news is propaganda. And I say that in that all media is propaganda. It is impossible to write anything that is unbiased, and when it comes to the news, they have additional sources of bias from funding sources. If it is government funded, that usually means comprimised coverage of the government. If it is privately funded, it's going to do everything it can be be addictive. That's part of where you get that "yellow journalism" in US outlets; they either tell people what they think that they want to hear or they focus on overwhelmingly negative news stories, which might be even worse because it's such a subtle effect. Of course, that's when they aren't busy printing advertisements that are designed to look like it's their own journalism.
I really don't want to say that this is "all" news, but it is just about everywhere.
And sure, you can see through the bullshit if you know enough about the topics at hand, but most people look to the news to tell them about stuff they don't know about. The biggest stories in news tends to be politics, and so many people have very little understanding about the actual workings of the government.
At least set bounds around it. For me it's a podcast on my commute, for others it could be some targeted reading or civic engagement. But news has really hacked into our time via smartphones and...
At least set bounds around it. For me it's a podcast on my commute, for others it could be some targeted reading or civic engagement. But news has really hacked into our time via smartphones and the 24 hour news cycle.
Been doing this on my own. Its important to note that ‘tidying’ or cleaning in general counts as movement. Sometimes I just walk around the house and look at things. Go visit the bugs on the...
Been doing this on my own.
Its important to note that ‘tidying’ or cleaning in general counts as movement.
Sometimes I just walk around the house and look at things. Go visit the bugs on the sidewalk. Tend to the plants.
Only maybe once or twice a day will I do some yoga stretches.
I recently got a Digimon Vital Hero for like $15 on Amazon. It is like a combo of a digivice and Fitbit. It has a heart rate monitor and pedometer which it uses to track your activity and...
I recently got a Digimon Vital Hero for like $15 on Amazon. It is like a combo of a digivice and Fitbit. It has a heart rate monitor and pedometer which it uses to track your activity and strengthen your Digimon and ultimately evolve it to stronger forms the more you exercise. There are different types of missions like doing squats/dashing/shadow boxing/crunches and a mode for encountering battles based on your steps. I also got a bunch of extra cards that unlock different eggs so even after I exhaust one egg I've got more to explore.
It feels a bit silly that some pretty lights and sounds get me to move more but it does. Not sure which point this would fit under or if game-ifying movement qualifies as its own point.
I started off my life as a mostly sedentary child. Laying on couches and reading sci-fi novels. I signed up for karate classes at 14. The head instructor simply told me one day that he thought I...
I started off my life as a mostly sedentary child. Laying on couches and reading sci-fi novels.
I signed up for karate classes at 14. The head instructor simply told me one day that he thought I could what everyone else was doing. I felt encouraged. I also wanted to get better. I eventually tried other exercises to improve.
I kept exercising.
Eventually I noticed I enjoyed the vigorous feelings while exercising.
I also made it a point to notice I felt better after each workout.
That eventually changed my attitude toward exercise.
I'm probably not the only one trying to eliminate algorithmic quick fixes from my life. No idea if this will work in the long term, but sharing in case anyone gets anything out of it.
It'd be nice not to feel so fucking stressed out all the time, and to avoid taking periodic breaks to scroll that I know will make me feel worse.
I struggle every winter. It's too cold and gross out (Chicago) to do much of anything, so I stay stuck inside for a few months. I can feel myself and my body yearning for spring.
I've already made plans for this spring/summer/fall to go out and do some bike packing/backpacking trips and I just can't wait to get started. Now if I could only find the time for it!
I know it's not the same for everyone but I remind myself of the saying "No bad weather, only bad gear" and force myself to go. I brought my hiking boots to work with me one day because it rained and the path I usually walk might be muddy (it was, very) but thankfully I had them so I still got my daily walk in.
If Chicago is anything like Seoul, sounds like you need windproof gear and some warm layers! Force yourself to brave the weather, a half mile walk in terrible weather might not be as fun as a ten mile trek on a perfect day but it's still an accomplishment!
Or, get a VR headset and Superhot VR. That's a workout too.
I wrote a lot of text but realized it all boiled down to "yep, I try to get out as much as I can!"
I just can't do as much as in other seasons and by this time of year I'm just itching to get outside again.
I started doing BJJ to get away from the cold. I recommend finding an indoor activity you enjoy, and when it’s a group class setting it really takes away the pressure of needing to self motivate.
An interesting idea. Right now though, money is tight and I'd rather have the kids in activities than myself.
May I suggest getting something like a treadmill?
Due to some health issues it was no longer safe for me to do my usual long distance running outdoors. I bought a manual treadmill mainly to regain stamina. Manual because I prefer the simplicity and not be overly reliant on electronics. While it's not as pleasant as running outdoors (the incline on the manual treadmill, oof!), the positive effects are still there.
Since I was used to walking up an incline, walking on flat ground IRL became effortless. I could go up steep flight of stairs without catching my breath. The treadmill is also great when it's raining outside.
I just put on an audiobook while walking on the treadmill, it's rather cathartic and I always feel great after the workout!
My wife has a variety of machines and things like this she uses, and while it's interesting for some time eventually the ADHD kicks in and I just can't bring myself to do the same exercise in the same place and way again.
I love cycling because it means I get to go out and explore. I love finding new paths, places, and things to see. Scratches a very deep itch.
For what it’s worth, I appreciate you posting this because it has motivated me to put my phone down and go mow, instead of procrastinating
Thank you
I was kinda hoping I'd motivate one person other than me! Thanks for letting me know
I wrote this poem about the subject a number of years ago after recovering from one of my many injuries:
FIRST START WALKING
First start walking
as far as you can
then walk a little more each day
walk faster & farther
find hills
breathe more deeply
untie all your knots
make time to walk more
examine your life
dream
start walking everywhere
explore your neighborhood
study the land
learn local history
discover when the berries ripen
and the flowers bloom
stand in the rain
watch the sun sail across the sky
discover nature’s rhythms
live in the place where time vanishes
lose your desire for all material things
know your place in the universe
~repeat~
I’m kind of surprised that these are all things that to one extent or another, I am already doing.
One thing that popped out to me was number 8, which was about trying to get rid of sources of worry and it explicitly begins with news. In the news recommendation thread that popped up the other day I really wanted to write a response telling people to stop actively seeking the news. It is almost universally designed to scare you and push you into worrying constantly. It is bad for your mental health to read. If there is a big story, it will come to you regardless of your subscriptions, and you can look them up if it’s really that important.
Honestly, that's why I didn't post in that thread either. I've found that everything I truly need to know finds its way to me whether I seek it out or not. Generally, anyway. As a result, I don't actually actively follow any news sources whatsoever.
I used to be what one podcast I listen to jokingly calls an "article pervert"--I would read headlines obsessively, and would refresh PopUrls (now reinvented as Upstract) constantly throughout the day, scrolling through about 20 or 30 separate news sources. It wasn't always a bad thing at first, but starting around 2015 (we all know why), I found absorbing news to not only be increasingly stressful, but not even productive, because many mainstream outlets shifted to focusing only on clickbaity stories about factional drama, or whatever outrageous thing some stupid American GOP mouthpiece most recently said. I was not getting better informed about anything useful except glorified gossip.
But like you say, it doesn't mean I don't see the news. It'll still turn up on places like Bluesky and Tildes and, to a lesser degree, Reddit since I heavily curate my account feed to avoid almost all politics. Consuming news filtered through other people who's opinions on what's important I'll actually listen to has lightened my day-to-day mood considerably.
I'm almost the same as you. Now that I don't actively check the news anymore, I still broadly know what's going on.
Because of where we live, my habits probably upticked at the same time as yours. It didn't actually let me know anything that would change what I could do, and as you say, it was mostly clickbait and the latest GOP craziness.
I do have a few friends who have to check the news daily for their jobs, and one of them recommended this new site, News Minimalist. It's American focused so may not be as good for people outside of the states.
But for people like us, consuming 'news' isn't productive. We find out about events through other channels. And I've found algorithmically delivered content to skew towards other people's opinions on the news, but there's not even a (low) editorial bar to clear for them to get published.
Life's better without it, I think. I can still be an informed, engaged and active citizen without listening to what some random dipshit on Instagram or TikTok thinks of things.
Not all news, though I admit nearly all of it in the USA is biased, yellow(tabloid) journalism.
I get most news from reading, I avoid the worst offenders (like CNN & Fox) and learned to pick out words that are used to manipulate readers which mitigates their affect to some degree. The difficult part is the missing, twisted and unnecessary facts that are hard to get past without research which can leave you feeling stressed until you have enough info to know the full story. I can't wait until an AI is created that can look at what you're reading and point out the BS by doing the research for you.
I seek news out because in my experience news that finds me is usually from people who can't parse the BS from the truth and are freaking out about something the news said (like my mother). Especially with our idiot-in-chief, what he does is bad enough but then the news ramps that up 100 fold and throws in stories that are basically rumors, twisted information and irrelevant events made out to be world ending issues "He farted, we're all doomed!".
Here's the thing though: all news is propaganda. And I say that in that all media is propaganda. It is impossible to write anything that is unbiased, and when it comes to the news, they have additional sources of bias from funding sources. If it is government funded, that usually means comprimised coverage of the government. If it is privately funded, it's going to do everything it can be be addictive. That's part of where you get that "yellow journalism" in US outlets; they either tell people what they think that they want to hear or they focus on overwhelmingly negative news stories, which might be even worse because it's such a subtle effect. Of course, that's when they aren't busy printing advertisements that are designed to look like it's their own journalism.
I really don't want to say that this is "all" news, but it is just about everywhere.
And sure, you can see through the bullshit if you know enough about the topics at hand, but most people look to the news to tell them about stuff they don't know about. The biggest stories in news tends to be politics, and so many people have very little understanding about the actual workings of the government.
At least set bounds around it. For me it's a podcast on my commute, for others it could be some targeted reading or civic engagement. But news has really hacked into our time via smartphones and the 24 hour news cycle.
Been doing this on my own.
Its important to note that ‘tidying’ or cleaning in general counts as movement.
Sometimes I just walk around the house and look at things. Go visit the bugs on the sidewalk. Tend to the plants.
Only maybe once or twice a day will I do some yoga stretches.
I recently got a Digimon Vital Hero for like $15 on Amazon. It is like a combo of a digivice and Fitbit. It has a heart rate monitor and pedometer which it uses to track your activity and strengthen your Digimon and ultimately evolve it to stronger forms the more you exercise. There are different types of missions like doing squats/dashing/shadow boxing/crunches and a mode for encountering battles based on your steps. I also got a bunch of extra cards that unlock different eggs so even after I exhaust one egg I've got more to explore.
It feels a bit silly that some pretty lights and sounds get me to move more but it does. Not sure which point this would fit under or if game-ifying movement qualifies as its own point.
I started off my life as a mostly sedentary child. Laying on couches and reading sci-fi novels.
I signed up for karate classes at 14. The head instructor simply told me one day that he thought I could what everyone else was doing. I felt encouraged. I also wanted to get better. I eventually tried other exercises to improve.
I kept exercising.
Eventually I noticed I enjoyed the vigorous feelings while exercising.
I also made it a point to notice I felt better after each workout.
That eventually changed my attitude toward exercise.