as we enter a new year, i’ve been open to creating a list of intentions for myself. in general, i avoid calling them “goals” or “resolutions” because i think they are completely unrealistic and performative for me. it’s all about the intent behind our actions and what is truly attainable rather than something wildly quixotic and probably impossible for me to live up to (subsequently, resolutions gets me upset as i close the year knowing i didn’t achieve any of them).
so, what are my intentions this year?
let’s dive in:
less screen time (shocker!) - this one is a universally-shared resolution. call me basic. who wants to be on their screen all the time? not i. the average 2023 screen time for users around the world aged 16 to 64 – across different platforms and devices – is 6hrs 37mins per day. while i thoroughly enjoy my sacred bed-rot on my phone (especially you, tiktok) i increasingly feel chained to my phone. funnily enough, on instagram i get ads for an app that is supposed to get you off of social media and utilizing that time to skim articles (so basically learning instead of consuming social media content). while i do not think that is a solution that makes much sense to me (i don’t want to skim titles of articles that is pointless), something i will be trying is this app i found while on my endeavors to limit my screen time. One sec is a scientifically based app that allows you to act intentionally with your social media usage — no pun intended. it tracks how many times you try to open an app, and asks you “why?”. inherently, its a simple but genius design. sometimes the best app ideas are just straight-up simple1. a study from the University of Heidelberg found that people using One Sec for six weeks decreased their usage of targeted apps like social media by 57% — so yeah, i’ll be trying this out2
read 2-3 books a month - this might seem like a low number, but to me its realistic. here are some books i’m jazzed about and just started reading:
White Nights - Dostoevsky was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, and journalist. His literary works explore human psychology in the troubled political, social, and spiritual atmospheres of 19th-century Russia. I read Crime and Punishment and wanted to branch out into his other works:
“Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
“Man is a mystery. It needs to be unravelled, and if you spend your whole life unravelling it, don't say that you've wasted time. I am studying that mystery because I want to be a human being.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky
A Room of One’s Own - Virginia Woolf was a pioneer in feminist literature. I’ve heard lots about her work but never had the chance to read them, so I’m starting to explore.
"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” — Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own
consistency - i think this word encapsulates a lot of my individual intentions i had written for myself
staying consistent with writing here (hi, my substack readers!)
staying consistent with moving my body in a way i enjoy (pilates, as of recent)
staying consistent with working on my idea for an app (which i’ve been chipping away at in my free time with a friend)
and in general, finding a pace that gives me calm. or at least, a little calm (my mind is always running like a hamster on a hamster wheel if you haven’t picked up on that by now).
doing things i like consistently — and in flow — allows me to feel in control of some pieces of what we actually can control
to conclude, i leave my readers3 with my three simple intentions. next on my substack, it’ll be a lil more tech-focused so stay tuned!
this has been on my mind as of late, simplicity/modernism is an incredibly popular design philosophy that is well-done and demonstrated by many successful tech companies. think: google’s search engine. no ads, clutter-free, intuitive. a clean, minimalistic approach gives users just what they’re looking for and nothing more or less. usability, aesthetics, and functionality — all are essential when designing a UX and an overall brand
review pending, will circle back soon
readers: (noun); my mom, my brother, and give-or-take two other people
Love this so much! Keep it up!