Posted on October 1, 2018 by thespooniemummy
Good afternoon, happy new week! And happy new month to you all as we are officially in October. This month I am looking forward to Autumn kicking in, Leo’s tenth birthday (how did that happen?!?), half term school holidays and Halloween!
Last month I attempted Scroll Free September which meant, apart from for work (blog) purposes, I would not be on social media. You can read my introduction post about it here.
I was really excited about the challenge and thought it would help me explore my relationship with social media. I do feel I often spend too much time on there, especially with blogging being central to the online world. It is something Ste has also mentioned. I know he is proud of my blogging work, but does often feel like it takes over too much of my time.
The first couple of weeks were a real eye opener. I stuck tot he rules really well and only went on at set times to post things for my blog. Unfortunately, halfway through the month I became unwell with a nasty sickness bug and then a cold. This led to lots more rest time and I noticed I began scrolling again more frequently. I was upset that I had failed the challenge but also, too poorly to care at the time. I do think the challenge was having a positive effect on my well being when I was following it. Being poorly did make me feel down though, and sliding back into using social media again and realizing I had failed, did not help with this.
On reflection, I still think Scroll Free September taught me a lot. Although I took the option of trying ‘cold turkey’ which meant that I wasn’t doing anything online except for work purposes, the creators planned different options. Things like not using social media in bed is something I will be continuing with. Me and Ste have started watching films and TV series again and getting a little quality time in the evening without interruptions, which I love. I also want to extend this to the mornings, as I often get up and check my social media first thing. I am going to try getting up and waiting o check my social media till I get my cuppa and breakfast.
Treating blogging a little more like a job is also worthwhile. Rather than frequently popping on to check on my different accounts, I spend a little time prepping what I want to be posting about at the beginning of the week/day and then will just go on to check it at a couple of times throughout the day for messages etc.
Although I technically failed the challenge, and I don’t mind admitting it, I hope that Ste especially will see the steps forward that I have taken this month and continue to support me with this. I am now back to studying for my degree too so need to ensure my time is well handled so I do not fall behind.
So a new month is beginning and I have set myself a new challenge – maybe this should become a regular monthly thing?! Let me know in the comments below if you have any ideas I could do in the coming months!
This month I have decided to take part in #Blogtober which means I will be posting a blog post every single day of the month. I feel tired just saying it! Make sure that you are subscribed if you aren’t already and you won’t miss a post, as they will all conveniently drop into your inbox! To do this just check out the bottom of the home page and type in your email address. I have lots of content planned and I hope you all enjoy it.
Thankyou all once again for your support – every like, share and comment is hugely appreciated. I try and reply to everyone’s comments and you can also message me privately if preferred.
Happy #Blogtober, wish me luck!
Category: Blog Posts, LifestyleTags: autumn, blog, blogger, blogtober, challenge, october, scroll free september, social media, uk blog, uk blogger, Update
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I am pleased to be a member of the IA and also on the committee of my local group – Notts and Derby IA – however the views expressed in this blog are my own and are not necessarily the same as the IA
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Good luck with the posts
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Thankyou! X
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Your learnings from Scroll Free September sound very valuable. I should try it. Like you, I don’t think I could go cold turkey… but being a bit more mindful about it can only be a good thing!
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It really is. You think you will pop on for five minutes and half an hour goes by. A little structure to your usage really helps x
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