Simple Changes (The TL;DR Version)
I’ve been reflecting a lot on how to improve my mental health, fitness, focus, and human connections. In a moment of madness, I came up with a simple plan—some small steps I can follow that I hope will help me regain a sense of stability and well-being.
Social Media:
Doomscrolling, especially on my phone, has been a major issue. I’d catch myself mindlessly scrolling through mentally draining content at the start and end of the day—or whenever I had a spare moment. The world is already enough of a dumpster fire; I don’t need to watch it burn in real time. Unfortunately, this often sets the mood for the rest of the day.
So, I’ve removed all but two social media apps from my phone. One is an app for posting photos to my Pixelfed account, and the other is my RSS feed reader. I’ve spent hours curating my feeds and have found a core group of about 30 blogs that I’m happy to follow—content that challenges and inspires me to grow. You can see my list here. I’m all in on @Manton’s Inkwell, and I’ve chosen the beautifully designed Silverleaf Reader to sync with it on my phone.
I’ve also decided to lock down my social media accounts to create a space just for me and just a few others —free from the noise of toxic people and the pressure to be heard. I want to write and post for myself, not for praise or attention, and solely for my love of writing.
I’ve kept email on my phone since it hasn’t been much of an issue —I don’t get many messages throughout the day anyway.
Looking at my phone, most of the apps I actually use are audio-based:
Audiobooks: I use Plappa with my self-hosted AudioBookShelf server, as well as the Libby app to access audiobooks from my local library. These days, I prefer listening to books rather than reading them.
Podcasts: I use Overcast and have about 12 podcasts on rotation that I listen to regularly.
Music: Unfortunately, I still use Spotify. I’d love to change this, given their ongoing support for oppressive regimes, military contractors, and misinformation peddlers. But with three teenagers whose entire lives revolve around the app, convincing them to switch would be nothing short of a miracle.
Devotional: I use the Lectio365 app by 24-7 Prayer.
Journaling:
I’ve also returned to journaling, something I used to do regularly but had fallen out of. I’ve committed to 15 minutes a day, keeping it simple with these four prompts:
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What am I thankful for today?
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What is irking me today?
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What’s something impactful or challenging I’ve read or heard today?
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What Bible verse from today’s devotional stood out to me?
Television:
I’m limiting TV during the week to one show a night (about an hour). The goal is to make more space for reading or to have better interactions with my teens. Do you think they’ll play board games with their old man?
Health & Fitness:
Though I’m hitting my established goal of walking 5 km a day, thanks to our energetic puppy, I want to keep that momentum going. The sunlight helps too, and as the weather warms up, I’m looking forward to more hikes in the mountains. All of that does a lot of good for me.
I’m endeavouring to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night and not miss a beat with my CPAP. It really does make a difference.
I also want to do better with my eating habits—eating healthier, planning meals for the week, and not being so lazy with the food aspect of my life. Cooking is something I genuinely love. I enjoy learning new techniques, taking cooking lessons, and trying new recipes. It’s creative, grounding, and good for my soul. I’d like to invest more time and intention there again.
Human Connectedness:
Another area I want to be more intentional about is community. That likely means finding our way back into a church community again. It’s been a long time since we’ve had that kind of spiritual community, and to be honest, I’ve never been a fan of “church shopping.” But the reality is that we were created to be in community with other believers, and I think our family needs that again.
I also want to be more intentional about spending time with friends. Make room for that lunch or dinner. Don’t let it fall to the wayside in the busyness of life.
And finally, I will make good use of my Cavalry FC season ticket. For some reason, being at the game really energizes me. Go to the games, enjoy being in the crowd, and cheer the team on…
Small, simple changes—but hopefully ones that make a difference.