Day one sucks, I had it for a year, it requires a monthly subscription so the total cost of the app will eventually be thousands, Diarium offers the same functions but as a one time purchase. /This is not an ad, I just need to warn people before you waste 100/year
And sometimes when you do that other people look at you and wonder what your deal is. They wonder what you’re up to. They can’t process the thought of you just observing the world around you
I find the danger in that is that it somehow signals to other people to come and talk to you. I get my phone out as a physical barrier, even if not using it.
Been sharing this wisdom with our girls a lot recently when they invariably ask for the 20th time in a week... "I'm bored!" - and we're like... "That's good! You'll find something to do. That discovery and wandering is important!" Thanks for the upload, old friend :-)
I actually almost teared up because it made me realize I've been watching this man for nearly a decade, on and off, and we have both grown in such beautiful ways
Yes! When I quit social media I quickly discovered how much I’d missed having conversations with myself instead of constantly focusing outside of me. It’s so so important for our development, creativity and overall mental health.
@@nickelarcade6934 No, not really. But it carries some of the problems with endless consumption and dopamine kicks for sure. And when I quit social media I went off CZcams as well for those very reasons. I started using CZcams again when I felt that I could use it sensibly and intentionally. I try to stay clear of shorts, which is an invitation to doom scrolling. Facebook and Instagram I still don’t use as I find it way to easy to fall back into dopamine hunting. As someone with ADD it is essential to keep control over.
@@provisionalhypothesis you’re entitled to your opinion but I think CZcams definitely is social media. Mainly for the ability to comment and share videos. The videos themselves are also media that is in social environment. According to a quick google search “CZcams can be considered a social media platform because it has important features associated with such platforms, such as user-generated content, interaction, personalization, networking, and the potential for content to go viral.” Why don’t you think it’s social media ?
When people ask me what I do, I often say, “I do a whole lot of nothing and it’s a never ending job.” People don’t know what to do with that information. I don’t elaborate, I just let them ponder. Nothing is my favorite thing to do. 🥰
I still use a smartphone, but I quit all social media except CZcams and feel so much better for it! There's suddenly so much time to try new hobbies, get active or just go on a walk and stare at trees. I feel less stressed because of it and although I miss many references to memes my friends make, I don't miss it. Your video last year actually inspired me to try it out and I enjoy my life a little more it seems, so thanks for making these videos :)
Last night I took myself out to dinner and just sat alone looking around the restaurant, appreciating decor, catching a glimpse of people's interactions... it was so peaceful and insanely pleasant. Love this video and this message. Thanks Wheezy :)
Bro people thought you are a psycopath, but really that sounds awesome wholesome and so human. We have lost ourselves by selling our attention and our minds to these freaking devices. :(
It took me about 6 months to fully quit social media (apart from youtube), and I've never been happier. That was nearly 4 years ago now, and while I sometimes feel fomo or left out when people reference memes and internet culture, I definitely don't want to go back. The longer I am away, the more I realize how mentally draining and high-key traumatizing social media is. The constant comparisons you make to others, the seeming lack of control over what you see (ex. videos showing gun violence and police violence, ED content, etc), and the time-suck keeping you from exploring other hobbies and interests are all reasons that keep me away to this day. On top of that, while I'm not great socially, I am proud when I am able to sit through a family function or friend hangout and not have the desire to scroll timelines whenever theres a lull in the conversation. Theres power in resisting the delicious algorithms trained to keep us hooked.
my last hold out was Twitter, Elon musk fixed that for me though, not only did I stop using it but I also deep-sixed my account entirely. I was thinking about Facebook and I realized I never closed that account and I really should because somebody could hack into it and take it over. there's only a few people I watch on Twitch, and I only do that at night, and even then only on weekends. I find even CZcams makes me procrastinate, though. might be time for me to do a stint of "cold turkey" for CZcams. I find going cold turkey occasionally helps me reset my usage habits. I remember in the early 2000s when I used to wake up eat my breakfast and then start working on a project until I had to go to work (2pm in those days). now of course I have a completely different job, when I wake up on the weekends I just want to veg, I get on CZcams the next thing I know it's 2pm and I haven't done any of the things that I planned to do.
I know it's not really what the video's about, but the title reminded me what _I_ got a year into qutting social media and smartphones and all the rest... a library card. And a stack of old TV shows on DVD. (Plus a bunch more interesting or inspiring things, which I'd been meaning to get while I was on social media but never found time _for some weird reason_ - but the library card and the TV shows were the first things I really got into _after_ the flood of somedays and shoulds from my time online subsided)
I forgot my phone at home when I went on a hike last weekend. It was an enlightening experience. Being able to navigate (both in a car and on a hiking trail) without a phone/gps is a vital skill that our generation seems to have lost. On the other hand, I did thoroughly enjoy the hike without having to stop and look at my phone for x, y and z reason every few minutes.
I don't know if you ever look at these comments, and i don't know why im sharing these thoughts But I'm currently at a point in my life where i ALSO live alone in a one room apartment and just these past two months I've tried quitting social media, quit Soda (this is still a tough one for me, i am very addicted to the sugar and caffeine haha), slowly started working out and fixing my sleep schedule. I felt very wierd about literally doing nothing at times and you made me feel more normal:)!
yeah I find it helps to go cold turkey... I did the same thing with soda, switched to water. I still get a soda occasionally, but my HABIT now is usually to buy water. as far as Internet in general goes, back in the early 2000s I realized I was spending all my time in chat rooms and not getting anything done. I canceled my account (still dial-up back then) and didn't reconnect for 2 years. more recently I did the same thing with Facebook, then Twitter, although I quit them for good. and I'm realizing now I probably should do it for CZcams as well... maybe I'll put a time restriction on the app to force myself to do other things during the day. I think as people we tend to fall into habits, I think the trick is to identify the problem that we need to change and then consciously change or replace them. like I switched from buying two sodas to buying two waters... The habit is still there it's just not soda anymore, because the problem wasn't the habit of buying two beverages, the problem was that the beverages were soda. similarly, my problem isn't THAT I'm watching CZcams, the problem is WHEN I'm watching CZcams...
Great job, reminds me of going through the same process! The golden trick I found was to replace soda with carbonated waters like bubly or la croix. They are overpriced, but the carbonation is what I was craving I found, not the sugar and calories.
I was literally talking about your first quit-my-smartphone video with my therapist when you published this one, and oddly this was the exact topic we ended up chatting about as a benefit from 'quitting a smartphone'. Fun stuff. Thanks for putting this together as always WheezyWaiter!
That bit about being comfortable by yourself making you able to be a better partner is the major thing I want to work on myself at the moment. I went through a rough breakup in December and vowed to not seek a relationship until I was comfortable being alone. Then I got..... "distracted"? by that goal from someone new coming into my life, but the relationship fell apart by my insecurities and inability to be on my own. I'm on my own again now, and it's time to give that goal another shot. Not sure if I'm gonna give up my smartphone in pursuit of that goal, but maybe I'll try and let myself be bored more often.
I dated a girl 5 years younger than me, and when I asked her, “do you ever just drive to work without the radio on and it feels good to just experience the sounds around you?”She responded “NO” as if it was the most frightening thing she could imagine. I love being alone. So much so that It definitely hurts me socially. But that was my anecdote lol I feel like the weird one who doesn’t spring into “smartphone blinding mind suck” while in a public waiting space- like waiting for my haircut. Its strange how now I feel like some creep just looking around. I know its my mind creating that insecurity but it feels that the state of the world has definitely conditioned that thought. As a creative person; having entertainment at the drop of a hat has definitely hindered me doing anyyyyything creative. Why play guitar when Reddit exists? Why draw? Its more work than scrolling. And its a spell I still am terrible at breaking.
There's a good chance they don't drive stick. When you're learning the thresholds for shifting, it's useful to just listen to the motor without distractions.
I have not had my house to myself for more than an hour or so in years now, I also drive a lot less. I did not realize how much being the only one in the house or hanging out waiting for soccer games or play practice to be over helped my brain. I miss it a lot and have been known to just take a drive somewhere pretty and sit in the car, away from people, watching the pretty scenery so my brain can just rest a bit. Thanks for this reminder!
I remember watching your videos near daily for several years a while back, and I'm not sure why but I drifted away from watching them routinely at some point, probably just life changing and whatnot, but it was refreshing to catch this video and still see references to stuff like Banjo Face and the coffee being done. Thanks for just consistently making videos on interesting and helpful topics over the years, even if some of us in the audience drift in and out of regular viewership. Hope life is going well for you, you seem like one of the genuinely kind folks out there on the internet, trying to make life at least slightly better for everyone.
I agree with you on this! I’m also gen X. We had sooo many opportunities to be stuck with our own thoughts, back in our youth, and now that does seem like a superpower. It’s a challenge to hold space and time for our kids to have these opportunities for boredom/ creativity/ wonder.
Agreed. When I’m out in public and find myself alone and having to wait for something/someone, I make a conscious effort not to immediately take out my phone and instead just sit with my thoughts or observe my surroundings like I used to do before I got my first iPhone. It’s actually really nice and sometimes leads to some wonderful ideas for a project I’m working on or the like.
Going on 4 years now without the smartphone. Will NEVER go back. But I have noticed I am less tolerable of those around me who have their faces stuck in their phone.
"I know my way is better so everyone sghuld follow" yeah, I know that too. what helps me is. focusing on myself. my inner peace in this moment is more important than my thought how ideal world should look like.
The dangerous thing for some folks is that solitude and thinking about life can bring up some very dark thoughts and that's why I deliberately started gaming (only a bit) and watching more videos again. It's true that the creativity flows better, but I also see the meaninglessness of life clearer. To everyone who isn't in danger of that I say - go for it. Maybe it will change for me again too some day. Maybe I have to start creating more again, but I often don't have the drive.
I put blocks on my phone to restrict my habit sites. When I was in college I didn't have a cell phone, It was nice. I often hate how over connected and available the internet makes us.
this has nothing to do with your video, but I fondly remember feeling less alone when watching your videos in that first apartment. That helped me through some stuff and it was nice to know there was someone out there just being genuine and following their dream making others laugh
My alone time is mostly in my car. I have a super commute- almost 30 miles each way. (Thank God for hybrid cars!) Frequently, I will drive the 40+ minutes with no radio, podcast or music- just to be alone with my thoughts. It turns a time consuming chore into something more like a meditation. It really helps me relax at the end of a hard day’s work as well.
I'm one of a very small subset of people my age (40) who never adopted a smartphone, and for most of that time I've felt a bit like this weird alien who is on the outside looking in on something that everyone sees as 'normal' - but I still never did it because I just didn't want to be that plugged in or available. Now that others are starting to pull back, it comforts me to see that I have gained some benefit from never being addicted to it in the first place, and I encourage others to step back from their phones and experience the world more often without them.
the problem with that is that everyone has to go through this teething stage, and eventually you will too when eventually you have no choice but to get one. it's almost to that point now where you can't do anything without one. because of all the scammers, Internet security, most companies are beginning to force two-factor Authentication, and they don't allow VoIP phone numbers for two-factor Authentication, which is what I have to get around not having a cell phone, but still using a data line with a 4G enabled tablet (you can do the same thing with your home computer I use Google Voice but there's a couple others). think about it: already you can't get a job without a computer because everything is online... your resume, job application, etc... for example, you can't apply to work at Staples in person... you have to do the application online, and they look at you funny when they tell you that, about the same way they would look at you if you offered to pay with a check. the only places that still have a paper application are walk-in minimum wage type places like dunkin' donuts I have a co-worker who doesn't have a computer, or cell phone, still has a landline. the company we work for does everything now through a scheduling app. when he got a chance to pick his company 30-year anniversary gift, one of the items was an iPad, so he gave in and got one...but he's still only has the landline at the house so he goes to dunkin' donuts with his iPad to check his schedule... that works out fine for him, but you on the other hand are only a few years younger than me, and we still have a number of years to go, and I can see a time coming where credit cards are gone the way of the paper check and everybody uses tap to pay or whatever is next... a chip implant or something. I see you kind of in the position of my co-worker where you and I are forced to get one just out of societal necessity. and the thing is you can see what's going to happen because that teething stage IS the problem with Facebook. it's been taken over by the old people (our parents) who haven't had the prerequisite training of online games etc. they have no clue about how to properly integrate socially on that platform, and so it just became a toxic mess the people just voicing their opinions and/or scamming each other. our generation is the one that is writing the social cues for online behavior, current generations are growing up with those social cues, and weeding out those pitfalls of internet integration, improving the system that we're currently building... their kids or possibly the generation after are going to be the ones that will be fully integrated with a work/life/Internet balance, because most of our generation and our parents generation, with our toxic online behaviors, will be leaving the sphere of influence. it's kind of crazy to think about like that, we only have the ability to opt out for so long. already we can't cold turkey the internet anymore the way I did in the early 2000s. you can cold turkey social media platforms, but the Internet is just too integrated with our social structure.
I agree with all you're saying about just thinking (I was born in 1971 so I learned all that before the internet was even a thing), but I want to comment on the sponsor. I love Day One! I've been journaling with them since 2015 and by mid-2018 I got into a daily habit and haven't missed a day since. I love the ease of journaling wherever I am, how so much is automatically put in the metadata (date, time, weather, location, etc), how much media we can include (audio, transcription, pictures, video), and the map feature. So awesome! Highly recommend! ❤
This was a very good video craig. Loved all the nostalgia references to old wheezy vids, and the self-reflexive nature of letting yourself wander for this one. It felt accessible, casual, and much more important than checking off the no smartphone streak box -- it was about the underlying reason, and you truly encapsulated it
I'm a very people oriented person so I'm super precious about my alone time, but I'm also trying to find ways of being uber present and almost meditative in connection with other people. I'm finding my priorities are in a good space right now, where I genuinely seek out interactions that will bring me joy, and gently notice and nudge (ie do that thing less) when a space doesn't add/when it detracts. Not sure if I do have enough nothing time at the moment yet, so it's a good reminder to reflect on that :)
I started working on being comfortable doing nothing and being alone with my thoughts a few months ago. I'm at the point now where I honestly prefer it. Even being on my phone now, typing out this comment feels more like a chore than the typical boost of dopamine I used to get. I got a minimalist app for my phone and now it stays in the bedroom when I'm at home (unless I have to do the dishes then I get it and watch Wheezy Waiter videos). Being comfortable with your own thoughts definitely probably isn't a super power but after years and years of anxiety and doing everything to avoid being along with my thoughts it definitely feels like a super power
Lol I moved to a beautiful part of the country, climbing fells weekly, dream job, was in the best shape ever for a year and the whole time did not have any social media. It's almost like it never happened 🌞👁️👁️👁️
@@nimnims91 I hiked the Pacfic Crest Trail for about 5 months a couple years ago. A llot of other hikers were on social media constantly because I guess if they weren't posting literally everything they did, then it wasn't really happening? I took a lot of pictures (for myself) and enjoyed the hike - and only later did I put up some pics and stories for my friends and family who follow me privately on Instagram. Not being constantly "on" social media is the human way to be.
As someone with adhd, my mind wanders a lot but I'm inquisitive and require patterns which leads to me wondering about questions and optimizing my daily routines. I can't do this without a phone. My thoughts are only questions
I’m currently going through my own journey around this and I find myself grabbing my phone a lot, looking for something to do, and my brain being frustrated when it can’t find something
Quitting social media and removing the CZcams app on my phone was the best thing ever. My day to day life is so much more interesting and I actually like hanging out with myself again.
My smart watch has sort of given me this opportunity, to be more alone and calm in my own head. I can send and receive calls, send and receive messages, buy stuff and identify myself using my watch so I no longer need to carry my phone with me. It is an amazing feeling, just leaving the house, going out for coffee or a walk, phone free. I find that I look at it a lot less at home too.
The point about living alone is spot-on. I lived alone for years and it made me much more comfortable with myself. I know many people who never went through it and they seem to not know themselves sometimes…
I ditched my iPhone SE that is over 7 years old and downgraded to a flip phone. I have 0 digital friends and feel like I am dead to them which is great because if they want to get a hold of me they have to either physically come over or phone me. Enjoy the alone time find myself more focused at work and my mind is free from clutter. Loving it ❤️
It’s funny that you made this video, because only last week I put a phone limitation on my Facebook, Instagram and CZcams use. It now only becomes available in the evening, and I spend so much less time faffing about on social media and getting stuck into doom scrolling, and I generally feel more productive because I haven’t wasted time! We just have so many technological ways to fill our spare moments with pointless nonsense that we don’t allow ourselves to get bored. Not necessarily a good thing!
Most of my life has largely been spent alone. Maybe this is why I don't care to have human interaction except with my 10 year old daughter. Talking to her is like talking to myself out loud. It is a wonderful thing I hope all dad's get the chance to experience.
I keep waiting for him do a "Why do people love The Artist's Way" video. I'd be curious to see the impact of morning pages on him. Wrote mine just this morning. Can't say I do it every single day but I do a few a week. Even after doing the program originally over 20 years ago.
I've been dealing with a lot of mixed emotions about my own screen time lately. I have less of a problem being alone, and more of an issue of letting my puone distract me from actual fun family and friend moments that would be so much better if my attention weren't split. I think it contributed to me behaving like an ADHD person might. I killed my social media apps for the most part and thought i was kicking bad habits, but ive stsrted to regress some. I think being on call has been a bit of an excuse for me to have my phone on my hip all the time. When I'm not on call, the only solution is to throw my phone in a different room and close the door. I think im picking up what you're pooping out though. I gotta quit my job. Its the only splution. No excuses to have my phone in hand if I dont have a job. Thanks Craig! You're the Wisest Wheeziest (Ex-) Waiter I know.
Sometimes i feel kinda lonely when i'm alone, but it feel good. When i'm hang out with friend, i have no interesting topic to say, not understand what are they talking about, just sit there and wait for some one talk to me, it feel really boring and badly. Feeling alone when you alone are not so scary. Feeling alone in the crowd is scary.
Pretty much completely feel the same way. Sometime being too connect can be overwhelming and a lot of the stuff we see has no bearing on our live yet we still stress out about it. I have to remind myself that before cell phones I was more active and in my head then before. So now when I am waiting, like when I'm just sitting at a table at a restaurant or at a doctors office I will purposefully not use my cell phone just so I can have time to think.
It’s been a little while since I’ve watched one of your videos. I greatly appreciate the insight you come up with. Really enjoyed this video and lots of the callbacks to old bits, but still improving yourself. Keep up the good work.
At 46 I've only ever used a cellphone as an emergency device if the power went out, a tornado was coming, or my car broke down, etc. I use it to call for help if the landline isn't available, otherwise it's turned off. My only social media is Facebook and CZcams. I prefer phone calls with people so we can actually connect. My husband isn't a big fan of cellphones either, he turns his off when he gets home from work and on the weekends, he's 41.
When I sit down not doing anything, I feel like people around me will think something is wrong with me when I’m just taking time to give my brain a break
I'm with you on being alone, and I try not to be on my phone much, to stop and enjoy the environment. I go on daily walks, and, aside from when I need to consult a map, ignore my phone for the most part. It's at least a few moments of being human for a while.
Starting at the end of last year I quit social media and severely cut down my content consumption on my phone. Delete twitter, got rid of Netflix, logged out of Reddit, etc. And that initial wave of boredom hit me and it felt totally foreign. At first I thought I had to fill the boredom with something interesting to do. But that gets old when you don't have something convenient like a phone with unlimited content to lean on. When I started just being okay with being bored... it really had a profoundly positive impact on my mental health and attention span. I feel more interested in more things now. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends more. I feel more connected to everything. The whole experience has made me realize boredom is just an essential state of being that constant content consumption prevents us from having.
I don't think the issue is that there's too much non boredom... rather the issue is that we're still bored, but instead of using that as an opportunity to be creative/productive/educate ourselves, we default to our phone hoping to find something to alleviate the boredom... except it's kind of a false promise because I've noticed that after I've chewed through my CZcams subscription list, and then the top tier of my recommended, I just keep scrolling looking for the next thing that might pique my interest, and most of the videos I start watching don't do that: I'm still bored. obviously I'm talking about moments where I have the ability to do something else. for example I typically don't use my deviceat all at work other than for communication, same if I'm out with somebody. I actually spend a lot of time in my head. cyclo-commuting is great for that
I haven't had a smart phone all that many years. I got one when a relative was having some health troubles and I needed to be more reachable than a land line would allow. They are handy but growing up in a pre-cell age and then not having one for so long even after they were around they haven't really changed me. I can go days without looking at the phone and even then most of the time it's just some quick messaging back and forth. Largely it's just one more thing that thinks it's more important than it is and nags at you to pay it attention ;)
After noticing how much time I was playing games on my phone, I switched to embroidery. It is still just as mindless, but I have something to show for it in the physical world when I complete a project. I found embroidery is also a useful fiddle toy to keep my hands and brain just enough distracted that I can sit still and listen to people talk with out letting my mind wander off.
It's said that Albert Einstein set aside dedicated time to let his mind wander without distractions. I remember as a kid sometimes just lying in bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about stuff, and finding it really rewarding even then. I worry that many kids these days are being robbed of that opportunity. Many of them don't understand what boredom really is, and that's a shame.
i have said for years how much i love and have benefited from sitting and thinking. i would have days of laying in bed thinking for hours, going on walks thinking, etc
So, can you control the intensity of the heat vision? That is, can you reheat your coffee and then melt metal? Or, are you just stuck with one setting?
The only way to get to know yourself is to spend time TOTALLY ALONE with no distractions. Talk to yourself all the time (whether this be in your mind or out loud). It’s the “secret” to life. If you know yourself everything else becomes WAY easier.
You didnt’t mention, but listening audiobooks / music during excersize or other activities also has a similar tune out effect. So for me it is not about solitude, it is more about reducing noise
Mind wandering is how I nap I pretend to look at my phone sometimes to make people think I'm busy... Despite relative disconection, though, I have to work to remember what it was like when you could walk out of the house and basically disappear from the interconnected world until you walked to another place that had a phone. Unless talking to people is communication, that is
I can't believe you never mentioned that your first apartment had an Alligator Pit, what were you thinking Wheezy Journaling Waiter 👍😎 YES we love it when the coffees done ☕
As always, it's probably about balance. As a person with medium-level sensory issues, I massively appreciate the opportunity to walk around with my favorite music always playing or to dump my thoughts into a notes app while I'm waiting for something. I can catch up with friends while I'm riding the bus, and instead of the colorful chaos of a grocery store's aisles in which a hundred little things are trying to grab my attention every second, I can stick my face in the screen, ignore all that, and play a little fun game or plan out my week. When I'm sitting in a park, I can do language flashcards, or read a book, or write my own stories, or learn about something that interests me -- and I don't even have to decide beforehand! I can just go based on what my mood is, what I feel like doing. It's so freeing, and I think sometimes people undervalue the way that smartphones can enliven the monotony of everyday routines. Like, I used to hate long tram rides, it just felt like wasted time, something I already had so little of -- but now I almost look forward to them, because oh, an opportunity to do that thing I want to do without distractions to take me away from it! Then again, I'm not someone who's ever had trouble being alone or sinking into my own thoughts. It happens naturally whenever I'm walking in a place without too many people; when I'm spending time in nature; when I sit in the couch and close my eyes. I've also never been a *super* heavy social media user, although there have been times where I've gotten sucked into CZcams videos or Instagram reposts of Twitter threads for a few hours without meaning to. I actually just hid Instagram in a secluded place on my phone a few days ago, and now I'm down to just CZcams for regular consumption of Content, though I'm trying to be more intentional about that too. I've been noticing how my thumb automatically moves to open Instagram at a bunch of different prompts - but instead I open the book I'm reading, or a conversation with a friend, or the NYT Games app I haven't played yet today, and that way I receive the distraction I'm seeking, but with a greater/more meaningful reward, and feeling better about myself as a result. And the urge to open Instagram gets more and more infrequent. So definitely, do the thinking and the people watching and the being present with yourself -- but also, how cool is it that we have such a wealth of opportunity in our pockets at any given time?
You don't have to ditch your smartphone to be content with solitude. You can just choose to ignore the phone. I don't use my phone in the first hour of the day, I go out, then I do all kinds of stuff until I have done enough for myself to actually have the need to maybe see if something important has come up. Oh, and I deleted all social media accounts years ago. Also, meditate people, just start, it'll make you happier with everything.
00:29 🤔 Solitude can be a superpower, allowing for introspection and comfort in being alone. 01:59 💡 Being bored and alone with your thoughts can be valuable, fostering creativity and mental well-being. 03:28 🧠 Letting your mind wander while alone can aid in decision-making and mental health. 05:26 📝 Journaling, particularly with prompts, is beneficial for processing thoughts and emotions. 07:48 😌 Sitting quietly and allowing your mind to wander can help reduce stress and anxiety. 09:49 🎮 Embracing moments of doing "literally nothing" can hold more value than perceived, akin to recharging in a video game.
Go to dayoneapp.com/wheezy and use code wheezy to get a limited-time offer of a two-month free trial with Day One Journal Premium.
Batmanuel has taught us that alone is an affliction loan is a decision
It's called Day One because you only remember to journal on Day One.
Day one sucks, I had it for a year, it requires a monthly subscription so the total cost of the app will eventually be thousands, Diarium offers the same functions but as a one time purchase. /This is not an ad, I just need to warn people before you waste 100/year
You seem like a guff ball like guff balls look up Johnny Brunet he is a guff ball.😅😅😅 see what I did Haah.😊
I find myself just staring off into space when im in a waiting room now instead of grabbing my phone. Its actually quite peaceful.
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lol I do that too! One time I almost fell asleep 😅
Much better use of the time. Being able to process when nothing is happening.
And sometimes when you do that other people look at you and wonder what your deal is. They wonder what you’re up to. They can’t process the thought of you just observing the world around you
I find the danger in that is that it somehow signals to other people to come and talk to you. I get my phone out as a physical barrier, even if not using it.
Been sharing this wisdom with our girls a lot recently when they invariably ask for the 20th time in a week... "I'm bored!" - and we're like... "That's good! You'll find something to do. That discovery and wandering is important!"
Thanks for the upload, old friend :-)
My parents used to say "only boring people get bored" whenever we'd complain we were bored.
@@helpfulcommenter my grandma used to say only dumb people get bored. she was a little more direct lol
"I think the coffee's done, I love it when the coffee's done"
something about that just makes me feel warm and cozy
Classic wheezy line 😊
It feels like an old friend came back, and they are still good and kind as ever
suddenly, nostalgia
I actually almost teared up because it made me realize I've been watching this man for nearly a decade, on and off, and we have both grown in such beautiful ways
Yes! When I quit social media I quickly discovered how much I’d missed having conversations with myself instead of constantly focusing outside of me. It’s so so important for our development, creativity and overall mental health.
CZcams is social media
@@nickelarcade6934 No, not really. But it carries some of the problems with endless consumption and dopamine kicks for sure. And when I quit social media I went off CZcams as well for those very reasons. I started using CZcams again when I felt that I could use it sensibly and intentionally. I try to stay clear of shorts, which is an invitation to doom scrolling. Facebook and Instagram I still don’t use as I find it way to easy to fall back into dopamine hunting. As someone with ADD it is essential to keep control over.
@@nickelarcade6934yes but not quite the same as IG, twitter, Snapchat, FB and TikTok
@@nickelarcade6934 not really
@@provisionalhypothesis you’re entitled to your opinion but I think CZcams definitely is social media. Mainly for the ability to comment and share videos. The videos themselves are also media that is in social environment. According to a quick google search
“CZcams can be considered a social media platform because it has important features associated with such platforms, such as user-generated content, interaction, personalization, networking, and the potential for content to go viral.”
Why don’t you think it’s social media ?
When people ask me what I do, I often say, “I do a whole lot of nothing and it’s a never ending job.” People don’t know what to do with that information. I don’t elaborate, I just let them ponder. Nothing is my favorite thing to do. 🥰
Nice!
You have a dog though! So you're not doing nothing, you're hanging out with your dog
Watches on smartphone*
DEMON! lol
Yup
😅😂😂😂
Yup guilty!
Smartphone sees all & knows all and is simmering with jealousy like a stalker ex boyfriend. Stay safe
Honestly, I love cameos from your parents
His dad reading the cheerios box got me 😂
I still use a smartphone, but I quit all social media except CZcams and feel so much better for it! There's suddenly so much time to try new hobbies, get active or just go on a walk and stare at trees. I feel less stressed because of it and although I miss many references to memes my friends make, I don't miss it. Your video last year actually inspired me to try it out and I enjoy my life a little more it seems, so thanks for making these videos :)
Seeing the images used for mental health made me realise how much I really love mosses! Such an underappreciated organism!
Last night I took myself out to dinner and just sat alone looking around the restaurant, appreciating decor, catching a glimpse of people's interactions... it was so peaceful and insanely pleasant. Love this video and this message. Thanks Wheezy :)
Bro people thought you are a psycopath, but really that sounds awesome wholesome and so human. We have lost ourselves by selling our attention and our minds to these freaking devices. :(
It took me about 6 months to fully quit social media (apart from youtube), and I've never been happier. That was nearly 4 years ago now, and while I sometimes feel fomo or left out when people reference memes and internet culture, I definitely don't want to go back. The longer I am away, the more I realize how mentally draining and high-key traumatizing social media is. The constant comparisons you make to others, the seeming lack of control over what you see (ex. videos showing gun violence and police violence, ED content, etc), and the time-suck keeping you from exploring other hobbies and interests are all reasons that keep me away to this day. On top of that, while I'm not great socially, I am proud when I am able to sit through a family function or friend hangout and not have the desire to scroll timelines whenever theres a lull in the conversation. Theres power in resisting the delicious algorithms trained to keep us hooked.
my last hold out was Twitter, Elon musk fixed that for me though, not only did I stop using it but I also deep-sixed my account entirely. I was thinking about Facebook and I realized I never closed that account and I really should because somebody could hack into it and take it over. there's only a few people I watch on Twitch, and I only do that at night, and even then only on weekends. I find even CZcams makes me procrastinate, though. might be time for me to do a stint of "cold turkey" for CZcams. I find going cold turkey occasionally helps me reset my usage habits. I remember in the early 2000s when I used to wake up eat my breakfast and then start working on a project until I had to go to work (2pm in those days). now of course I have a completely different job, when I wake up on the weekends I just want to veg, I get on CZcams the next thing I know it's 2pm and I haven't done any of the things that I planned to do.
how old are you?
@@helpfulcommenter Good question
Everyone always talks about comparison but I’ve never experienced this. I don’t care what others do generally, my problem with it is the time suck
Bro I'm addicted to CZcams
Yeah, I really need to work on this. Lemme just finish 3 hrs of watching YT and scrolling through IG first...
I know it's not really what the video's about, but the title reminded me what _I_ got a year into qutting social media and smartphones and all the rest... a library card. And a stack of old TV shows on DVD. (Plus a bunch more interesting or inspiring things, which I'd been meaning to get while I was on social media but never found time _for some weird reason_ - but the library card and the TV shows were the first things I really got into _after_ the flood of somedays and shoulds from my time online subsided)
I was just thinking earlier about how much it would cost me to read all the books I'm wanting to read. Thanks for reminding me about libraries 😅🙌🏼
" the flood of somedays and shoulds " is such a great way of putting it.
I forgot my phone at home when I went on a hike last weekend. It was an enlightening experience. Being able to navigate (both in a car and on a hiking trail) without a phone/gps is a vital skill that our generation seems to have lost. On the other hand, I did thoroughly enjoy the hike without having to stop and look at my phone for x, y and z reason every few minutes.
I don't know if you ever look at these comments, and i don't know why im sharing these thoughts
But I'm currently at a point in my life where i ALSO live alone in a one room apartment and just these past two months I've tried quitting social media, quit Soda (this is still a tough one for me, i am very addicted to the sugar and caffeine haha), slowly started working out and fixing my sleep schedule.
I felt very wierd about literally doing nothing at times and you made me feel more normal:)!
I do look at these! I’m glad I helped. Congratulations on all the progress!
yeah I find it helps to go cold turkey... I did the same thing with soda, switched to water. I still get a soda occasionally, but my HABIT now is usually to buy water.
as far as Internet in general goes, back in the early 2000s I realized I was spending all my time in chat rooms and not getting anything done. I canceled my account (still dial-up back then) and didn't reconnect for 2 years.
more recently I did the same thing with Facebook, then Twitter, although I quit them for good. and I'm realizing now I probably should do it for CZcams as well... maybe I'll put a time restriction on the app to force myself to do other things during the day.
I think as people we tend to fall into habits, I think the trick is to identify the problem that we need to change and then consciously change or replace them. like I switched from buying two sodas to buying two waters... The habit is still there it's just not soda anymore, because the problem wasn't the habit of buying two beverages, the problem was that the beverages were soda. similarly, my problem isn't THAT I'm watching CZcams, the problem is WHEN I'm watching CZcams...
And other people read them too! 😊
Great job, reminds me of going through the same process! The golden trick I found was to replace soda with carbonated waters like bubly or la croix. They are overpriced, but the carbonation is what I was craving I found, not the sugar and calories.
I was literally talking about your first quit-my-smartphone video with my therapist when you published this one, and oddly this was the exact topic we ended up chatting about as a benefit from 'quitting a smartphone'. Fun stuff. Thanks for putting this together as always WheezyWaiter!
That bit about being comfortable by yourself making you able to be a better partner is the major thing I want to work on myself at the moment. I went through a rough breakup in December and vowed to not seek a relationship until I was comfortable being alone. Then I got..... "distracted"? by that goal from someone new coming into my life, but the relationship fell apart by my insecurities and inability to be on my own. I'm on my own again now, and it's time to give that goal another shot. Not sure if I'm gonna give up my smartphone in pursuit of that goal, but maybe I'll try and let myself be bored more often.
I find going for walks helps with this, something about nontaxing repetitive motion frees the mind
I dated a girl 5 years younger than me, and when I asked her, “do you ever just drive to work without the radio on and it feels good to just experience the sounds around you?”She responded “NO” as if it was the most frightening thing she could imagine.
I love being alone. So much so that It definitely hurts me socially. But that was my anecdote lol
I feel like the weird one who doesn’t spring into “smartphone blinding mind suck” while in a public waiting space- like waiting for my haircut. Its strange how now I feel like some creep just looking around. I know its my mind creating that insecurity but it feels that the state of the world has definitely conditioned that thought.
As a creative person; having entertainment at the drop of a hat has definitely hindered me doing anyyyyything creative. Why play guitar when Reddit exists? Why draw? Its more work than scrolling. And its a spell I still am terrible at breaking.
I do that all the time because I’m always so late to work I don’t have time to pair my Bluetooth lol.
There's a good chance they don't drive stick. When you're learning the thresholds for shifting, it's useful to just listen to the motor without distractions.
I usually hear some noise from my SUV that needs fixing
I have not had my house to myself for more than an hour or so in years now, I also drive a lot less. I did not realize how much being the only one in the house or hanging out waiting for soccer games or play practice to be over helped my brain. I miss it a lot and have been known to just take a drive somewhere pretty and sit in the car, away from people, watching the pretty scenery so my brain can just rest a bit. Thanks for this reminder!
I remember watching your videos near daily for several years a while back, and I'm not sure why but I drifted away from watching them routinely at some point, probably just life changing and whatnot, but it was refreshing to catch this video and still see references to stuff like Banjo Face and the coffee being done. Thanks for just consistently making videos on interesting and helpful topics over the years, even if some of us in the audience drift in and out of regular viewership. Hope life is going well for you, you seem like one of the genuinely kind folks out there on the internet, trying to make life at least slightly better for everyone.
I feel the exact same way
It's so nice to find another "slow decider." I love seeing your parents!
I agree with you on this! I’m also gen X. We had sooo many opportunities to be stuck with our own thoughts, back in our youth, and now that does seem like a superpower. It’s a challenge to hold space and time for our kids to have these opportunities for boredom/ creativity/ wonder.
Is Craig Gen X?
I don't think so...... he's an older millennial or maybe, like me, a Xennial.
Agreed. When I’m out in public and find myself alone and having to wait for something/someone, I make a conscious effort not to immediately take out my phone and instead just sit with my thoughts or observe my surroundings like I used to do before I got my first iPhone. It’s actually really nice and sometimes leads to some wonderful ideas for a project I’m working on or the like.
I resonate with the slow decision-making ent thing - so much
This. Same.
Going on 4 years now without the smartphone. Will NEVER go back.
But I have noticed I am less tolerable of those around me who have their faces stuck in their phone.
I tend to stick my face in my phone as a “I don’t wanna talk to you” sign
"I know my way is better so everyone sghuld follow"
yeah, I know that too.
what helps me is. focusing on myself.
my inner peace in this moment is more important than my thought how ideal world should look like.
@@fredrickbambinothat’s basically everyone
I find it ironic that the recommended (sponsored) way of journaling was with an app instead of on paper 😁
fr
Me too! It is like recommending apps for meditation on different videos where people talk about disconnecting and relaxing 😅
Maybe the problem isn't smart phones. Maybe it's particular apps.
The dangerous thing for some folks is that solitude and thinking about life can bring up some very dark thoughts and that's why I deliberately started gaming (only a bit) and watching more videos again. It's true that the creativity flows better, but I also see the meaninglessness of life clearer. To everyone who isn't in danger of that I say - go for it. Maybe it will change for me again too some day. Maybe I have to start creating more again, but I often don't have the drive.
I put blocks on my phone to restrict my habit sites. When I was in college I didn't have a cell phone, It was nice. I often hate how over connected and available the internet makes us.
this has nothing to do with your video, but I fondly remember feeling less alone when watching your videos in that first apartment. That helped me through some stuff and it was nice to know there was someone out there just being genuine and following their dream making others laugh
I forgot you existed. And it's like im meeting you all over again and I love it
My alone time is mostly in my car. I have a super commute- almost 30 miles each way. (Thank God for hybrid cars!) Frequently, I will drive the 40+ minutes with no radio, podcast or music- just to be alone with my thoughts. It turns a time consuming chore into something more like a meditation. It really helps me relax at the end of a hard day’s work as well.
I'm one of a very small subset of people my age (40) who never adopted a smartphone, and for most of that time I've felt a bit like this weird alien who is on the outside looking in on something that everyone sees as 'normal' - but I still never did it because I just didn't want to be that plugged in or available. Now that others are starting to pull back, it comforts me to see that I have gained some benefit from never being addicted to it in the first place, and I encourage others to step back from their phones and experience the world more often without them.
the problem with that is that everyone has to go through this teething stage, and eventually you will too when eventually you have no choice but to get one. it's almost to that point now where you can't do anything without one. because of all the scammers, Internet security, most companies are beginning to force two-factor Authentication, and they don't allow VoIP phone numbers for two-factor Authentication, which is what I have to get around not having a cell phone, but still using a data line with a 4G enabled tablet (you can do the same thing with your home computer I use Google Voice but there's a couple others). think about it: already you can't get a job without a computer because everything is online... your resume, job application, etc... for example, you can't apply to work at Staples in person... you have to do the application online, and they look at you funny when they tell you that, about the same way they would look at you if you offered to pay with a check. the only places that still have a paper application are walk-in minimum wage type places like dunkin' donuts
I have a co-worker who doesn't have a computer, or cell phone, still has a landline. the company we work for does everything now through a scheduling app. when he got a chance to pick his company 30-year anniversary gift, one of the items was an iPad, so he gave in and got one...but he's still only has the landline at the house so he goes to dunkin' donuts with his iPad to check his schedule... that works out fine for him, but you on the other hand are only a few years younger than me, and we still have a number of years to go, and I can see a time coming where credit cards are gone the way of the paper check and everybody uses tap to pay or whatever is next... a chip implant or something. I see you kind of in the position of my co-worker where you and I are forced to get one just out of societal necessity. and the thing is you can see what's going to happen because that teething stage IS the problem with Facebook. it's been taken over by the old people (our parents) who haven't had the prerequisite training of online games etc. they have no clue about how to properly integrate socially on that platform, and so it just became a toxic mess the people just voicing their opinions and/or scamming each other. our generation is the one that is writing the social cues for online behavior, current generations are growing up with those social cues, and weeding out those pitfalls of internet integration, improving the system that we're currently building... their kids or possibly the generation after are going to be the ones that will be fully integrated with a work/life/Internet balance, because most of our generation and our parents generation, with our toxic online behaviors, will be leaving the sphere of influence. it's kind of crazy to think about like that, we only have the ability to opt out for so long. already we can't cold turkey the internet anymore the way I did in the early 2000s. you can cold turkey social media platforms, but the Internet is just too integrated with our social structure.
I agree with all you're saying about just thinking (I was born in 1971 so I learned all that before the internet was even a thing), but I want to comment on the sponsor. I love Day One! I've been journaling with them since 2015 and by mid-2018 I got into a daily habit and haven't missed a day since. I love the ease of journaling wherever I am, how so much is automatically put in the metadata (date, time, weather, location, etc), how much media we can include (audio, transcription, pictures, video), and the map feature. So awesome! Highly recommend! ❤
This was a very good video craig. Loved all the nostalgia references to old wheezy vids, and the self-reflexive nature of letting yourself wander for this one. It felt accessible, casual, and much more important than checking off the no smartphone streak box -- it was about the underlying reason, and you truly encapsulated it
TMBG Fingertips reference was the cherry on top of this video!
You Probably wont see this but man you are absolutely amazing at mixing comedy with information you are a really awesome person
what a nice comment
I'm a very people oriented person so I'm super precious about my alone time, but I'm also trying to find ways of being uber present and almost meditative in connection with other people. I'm finding my priorities are in a good space right now, where I genuinely seek out interactions that will bring me joy, and gently notice and nudge (ie do that thing less) when a space doesn't add/when it detracts.
Not sure if I do have enough nothing time at the moment yet, so it's a good reminder to reflect on that :)
I started working on being comfortable doing nothing and being alone with my thoughts a few months ago. I'm at the point now where I honestly prefer it. Even being on my phone now, typing out this comment feels more like a chore than the typical boost of dopamine I used to get. I got a minimalist app for my phone and now it stays in the bedroom when I'm at home (unless I have to do the dishes then I get it and watch Wheezy Waiter videos). Being comfortable with your own thoughts definitely probably isn't a super power but after years and years of anxiety and doing everything to avoid being along with my thoughts it definitely feels like a super power
Lol I moved to a beautiful part of the country, climbing fells weekly, dream job, was in the best shape ever for a year and the whole time did not have any social media. It's almost like it never happened 🌞👁️👁️👁️
Oh, and I was alone
@@nimnims91 I hiked the Pacfic Crest Trail for about 5 months a couple years ago. A llot of other hikers were on social media constantly because I guess if they weren't posting literally everything they did, then it wasn't really happening?
I took a lot of pictures (for myself) and enjoyed the hike - and only later did I put up some pics and stories for my friends and family who follow me privately on Instagram.
Not being constantly "on" social media is the human way to be.
There's like 5 things that I wanna use the entire internet for from now on. Watching wheezy waiter videos is one of them. Congrats and thank you.
Major bonus points for the TMBG "Fingertips" reference. 😎
Another fingertip would've been perfect: "All alone, all alone, all by myself" 😏
Love the videos. We did have a great time last smartphone video. Also, blouse alone time must be interesting.
As someone with adhd, my mind wanders a lot but I'm inquisitive and require patterns which leads to me wondering about questions and optimizing my daily routines. I can't do this without a phone. My thoughts are only questions
I’m currently going through my own journey around this and I find myself grabbing my phone a lot, looking for something to do, and my brain being frustrated when it can’t find something
Quitting social media and removing the CZcams app on my phone was the best thing ever. My day to day life is so much more interesting and I actually like hanging out with myself again.
Love your input always Craig!!!! Best wishes for you n the fam!
My smart watch has sort of given me this opportunity, to be more alone and calm in my own head. I can send and receive calls, send and receive messages, buy stuff and identify myself using my watch so I no longer need to carry my phone with me. It is an amazing feeling, just leaving the house, going out for coffee or a walk, phone free. I find that I look at it a lot less at home too.
The point about living alone is spot-on. I lived alone for years and it made me much more comfortable with myself. I know many people who never went through it and they seem to not know themselves sometimes…
i love it when the coffee's done
I ditched my iPhone SE that is over 7 years old and downgraded to a flip phone. I have 0 digital friends and feel like I am dead to them which is great because if they want to get a hold of me they have to either physically come over or phone me. Enjoy the alone time find myself more focused at work and my mind is free from clutter. Loving it ❤️
It’s funny that you made this video, because only last week I put a phone limitation on my Facebook, Instagram and CZcams use. It now only becomes available in the evening, and I spend so much less time faffing about on social media and getting stuck into doom scrolling, and I generally feel more productive because I haven’t wasted time! We just have so many technological ways to fill our spare moments with pointless nonsense that we don’t allow ourselves to get bored. Not necessarily a good thing!
Carry a book with you to ween off of doom scrolling. It’s a great way to let people know you don’t want to be bothered without a phone
#theoldways
Most of my life has largely been spent alone. Maybe this is why I don't care to have human interaction except with my 10 year old daughter. Talking to her is like talking to myself out loud. It is a wonderful thing I hope all dad's get the chance to experience.
I think you’d love The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
I keep waiting for him do a "Why do people love The Artist's Way" video.
I'd be curious to see the impact of morning pages on him.
Wrote mine just this morning. Can't say I do it every single day but I do a few a week. Even after doing the program originally over 20 years ago.
this is the first video ive seen of yours. really enjoyed it. the bit with parents.... SUBSCRIBED
I've been dealing with a lot of mixed emotions about my own screen time lately. I have less of a problem being alone, and more of an issue of letting my puone distract me from actual fun family and friend moments that would be so much better if my attention weren't split. I think it contributed to me behaving like an ADHD person might.
I killed my social media apps for the most part and thought i was kicking bad habits, but ive stsrted to regress some. I think being on call has been a bit of an excuse for me to have my phone on my hip all the time. When I'm not on call, the only solution is to throw my phone in a different room and close the door.
I think im picking up what you're pooping out though. I gotta quit my job. Its the only splution. No excuses to have my phone in hand if I dont have a job. Thanks Craig! You're the Wisest Wheeziest (Ex-) Waiter I know.
Sometimes i feel kinda lonely when i'm alone, but it feel good. When i'm hang out with friend, i have no interesting topic to say, not understand what are they talking about, just sit there and wait for some one talk to me, it feel really boring and badly.
Feeling alone when you alone are not so scary. Feeling alone in the crowd is scary.
Great video as always. You're the GOAT
Pretty much completely feel the same way. Sometime being too connect can be overwhelming and a lot of the stuff we see has no bearing on our live yet we still stress out about it. I have to remind myself that before cell phones I was more active and in my head then before. So now when I am waiting, like when I'm just sitting at a table at a restaurant or at a doctors office I will purposefully not use my cell phone just so I can have time to think.
9:18 YES! I've had the pleasure of seeing TMBG in 2 or 3 concerts over the year, always a good time
It’s been a little while since I’ve watched one of your videos. I greatly appreciate the insight you come up with. Really enjoyed this video and lots of the callbacks to old bits, but still improving yourself. Keep up the good work.
This!!!
This is such a great balance between your informative videos and your comedic videos!
I have been a ride or die beard lover since 2007. Love the evolution as your life has evolved.
At 46 I've only ever used a cellphone as an emergency device if the power went out, a tornado was coming, or my car broke down, etc. I use it to call for help if the landline isn't available, otherwise it's turned off. My only social media is Facebook and CZcams. I prefer phone calls with people so we can actually connect. My husband isn't a big fan of cellphones either, he turns his off when he gets home from work and on the weekends, he's 41.
When I sit down not doing anything, I feel like people around me will think something is wrong with me when I’m just taking time to give my brain a break
I love your videos. Your jokes and quick wit always make me laugh. 💚
100 Years of Solitude has been my favorite book for almost 10 years and I feel incredibly validated and felt the banana reference in my soul.
I agree. Technology is hindering us at this point.
I'm with you on being alone, and I try not to be on my phone much, to stop and enjoy the environment. I go on daily walks, and, aside from when I need to consult a map, ignore my phone for the most part. It's at least a few moments of being human for a while.
And for the non digital variety, try a line a day 5 year journal. Pretty neat to look back on each year for that day.
This is contemporary philosophy,
Thank you Craig Benzoate.
Starting at the end of last year I quit social media and severely cut down my content consumption on my phone. Delete twitter, got rid of Netflix, logged out of Reddit, etc. And that initial wave of boredom hit me and it felt totally foreign. At first I thought I had to fill the boredom with something interesting to do. But that gets old when you don't have something convenient like a phone with unlimited content to lean on. When I started just being okay with being bored... it really had a profoundly positive impact on my mental health and attention span. I feel more interested in more things now. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends more. I feel more connected to everything. The whole experience has made me realize boredom is just an essential state of being that constant content consumption prevents us from having.
I don't think the issue is that there's too much non boredom... rather the issue is that we're still bored, but instead of using that as an opportunity to be creative/productive/educate ourselves, we default to our phone hoping to find something to alleviate the boredom... except it's kind of a false promise because I've noticed that after I've chewed through my CZcams subscription list, and then the top tier of my recommended, I just keep scrolling looking for the next thing that might pique my interest, and most of the videos I start watching don't do that: I'm still bored. obviously I'm talking about moments where I have the ability to do something else. for example I typically don't use my deviceat all at work other than for communication, same if I'm out with somebody. I actually spend a lot of time in my head. cyclo-commuting is great for that
I haven't had a smart phone all that many years. I got one when a relative was having some health troubles and I needed to be more reachable than a land line would allow. They are handy but growing up in a pre-cell age and then not having one for so long even after they were around they haven't really changed me. I can go days without looking at the phone and even then most of the time it's just some quick messaging back and forth. Largely it's just one more thing that thinks it's more important than it is and nags at you to pay it attention ;)
It's a special kind of talent to be able to survive boredom.
After noticing how much time I was playing games on my phone, I switched to embroidery. It is still just as mindless, but I have something to show for it in the physical world when I complete a project. I found embroidery is also a useful fiddle toy to keep my hands and brain just enough distracted that I can sit still and listen to people talk with out letting my mind wander off.
Took a month long CZcams hiatus. Came back and watched this. Leaving again now. Thanks Wheezy
It's said that Albert Einstein set aside dedicated time to let his mind wander without distractions.
I remember as a kid sometimes just lying in bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about stuff, and finding it really rewarding even then. I worry that many kids these days are being robbed of that opportunity. Many of them don't understand what boredom really is, and that's a shame.
i have said for years how much i love and have benefited from sitting and thinking. i would have days of laying in bed thinking for hours, going on walks thinking, etc
So, can you control the intensity of the heat vision? That is, can you reheat your coffee and then melt metal? Or, are you just stuck with one setting?
I love how his thumb nail has his face looking like he’s found clarity from not using a phone. Like he turned into a poet suddenly.
Having said that ,I did enjoy the video.
I love you. This reminds of all the best parts of old CZcams
1:11 oh hai mark
The only way to get to know yourself is to spend time TOTALLY ALONE with no distractions. Talk to yourself all the time (whether this be in your mind or out loud). It’s the “secret” to life. If you know yourself everything else becomes WAY easier.
That was a great video, thanks! I appreciate your humor and creativity... which are undoubtedly enhanced by your solitude.
"It didn't feel right to be alone. Sometimes it felt good, but it never felt right." -Charles Bukowski, in days before the smart phone
You didnt’t mention, but listening audiobooks / music during excersize or other activities also has a similar tune out effect. So for me it is not about solitude, it is more about reducing noise
Dude I love you satire and sarcasm! 😂 Definitely my kind of humor!! 🤣
Don't try to fool us. You SO did gain heat vision.
🫣
Kids are not bored enough and figuring out clever ways to entertain themselves. Lots of great ideas are being lost.
Wow, that’s the first time I’ve seen your dad in a video and you look exactly like him
Mind wandering is how I nap
I pretend to look at my phone sometimes to make people think I'm busy...
Despite relative disconection, though, I have to work to remember what it was like when you could walk out of the house and basically disappear from the interconnected world until you walked to another place that had a phone. Unless talking to people is communication, that is
I can't believe you never mentioned that your first apartment had an Alligator Pit, what were you thinking Wheezy Journaling Waiter 👍😎 YES we love it when the coffees done ☕
The Pace Picante reference was **chef's kiss** perfection.
'NEW YORK CITY!'
I'm 10 months without data/cell service on my phone. It has been great, just incredibly lonely.
As always, it's probably about balance.
As a person with medium-level sensory issues, I massively appreciate the opportunity to walk around with my favorite music always playing or to dump my thoughts into a notes app while I'm waiting for something. I can catch up with friends while I'm riding the bus, and instead of the colorful chaos of a grocery store's aisles in which a hundred little things are trying to grab my attention every second, I can stick my face in the screen, ignore all that, and play a little fun game or plan out my week. When I'm sitting in a park, I can do language flashcards, or read a book, or write my own stories, or learn about something that interests me -- and I don't even have to decide beforehand! I can just go based on what my mood is, what I feel like doing. It's so freeing, and I think sometimes people undervalue the way that smartphones can enliven the monotony of everyday routines. Like, I used to hate long tram rides, it just felt like wasted time, something I already had so little of -- but now I almost look forward to them, because oh, an opportunity to do that thing I want to do without distractions to take me away from it!
Then again, I'm not someone who's ever had trouble being alone or sinking into my own thoughts. It happens naturally whenever I'm walking in a place without too many people; when I'm spending time in nature; when I sit in the couch and close my eyes. I've also never been a *super* heavy social media user, although there have been times where I've gotten sucked into CZcams videos or Instagram reposts of Twitter threads for a few hours without meaning to. I actually just hid Instagram in a secluded place on my phone a few days ago, and now I'm down to just CZcams for regular consumption of Content, though I'm trying to be more intentional about that too. I've been noticing how my thumb automatically moves to open Instagram at a bunch of different prompts - but instead I open the book I'm reading, or a conversation with a friend, or the NYT Games app I haven't played yet today, and that way I receive the distraction I'm seeking, but with a greater/more meaningful reward, and feeling better about myself as a result. And the urge to open Instagram gets more and more infrequent.
So definitely, do the thinking and the people watching and the being present with yourself -- but also, how cool is it that we have such a wealth of opportunity in our pockets at any given time?
You don't have to ditch your smartphone to be content with solitude. You can just choose to ignore the phone. I don't use my phone in the first hour of the day, I go out, then I do all kinds of stuff until I have done enough for myself to actually have the need to maybe see if something important has come up. Oh, and I deleted all social media accounts years ago. Also, meditate people, just start, it'll make you happier with everything.
This is a great point for people that make content
00:29 🤔 Solitude can be a superpower, allowing for introspection and comfort in being alone.
01:59 💡 Being bored and alone with your thoughts can be valuable, fostering creativity and mental well-being.
03:28 🧠 Letting your mind wander while alone can aid in decision-making and mental health.
05:26 📝 Journaling, particularly with prompts, is beneficial for processing thoughts and emotions.
07:48 😌 Sitting quietly and allowing your mind to wander can help reduce stress and anxiety.
09:49 🎮 Embracing moments of doing "literally nothing" can hold more value than perceived, akin to recharging in a video game.