You Need Intentional Internet. Here's How To Do It.
NoSurf:
[nOH sUHRf] ∙ noun
A social movement focused on minimizing mindless internet use.
When I began my NoSurf journey in 2017, I quickly became stuck. “How do I know what internet use is okay and what isn’t?”
Digital Health
There are 2 ways you can tackle this question. The first is to define what is important to you. If family is important to you, you may want to keep a Facebook account. Ask yourself: Is this the best way to live this value? Is Facebook a net gain for me if I spend more time scrolling than keeping in touch with my grandparents? Sometimes you may want to keep the internet option, other times there are better ways to fill the need (like calling your extended family regularly.) Cal Newport goes more into depth about this in his book Digital Minimalism.
The second way is mindfulness. When you’re using the internet, notice your thoughts and feelings. Whenever you catch yourself scrolling mindlessly, come back to awareness and ask “Why am I doing this?” Not in an accusatory way, but like you are a curious scientist. You don’t have to find an answer, just hold the question for a moment.
These two techniques work together to create intentional internet habits. It puts you in the mindset of consistently evaluating whether your actions align with what you want for your life.
Connected Culture
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