what happened when I replaced scrolling with creating for 7 days

last week, i decided to start building this website in an effort to get myself more invested in creating my own work rather than just scrolling through an endless feed. the rule isn't "no scrolling ever," it's now "ask yourself if you can create something instead."

the "something" doesn't have to be big. it can be a small layout tweak, a row of crochet, a page outline, a half-baked design idea.

some days were better than others. here's what i noticed over the course of the last week:

i stopped reaching for my phone as much.

my screen time is down by 30%. tiktok used to be the most used app on my phone every single week by a long shot. it has now fallen to rank #3.

i'm not consuming as much content.

working on projects requires a higher level of focus, especially if i'm doing something like coding or writing. in the past, i always had to have some kind of show or podcast on just for the noise. it was like i needed to keep the other half of my brain occupied. now i feel like i need the quiet to think properly. i'll put an airpod in and just listen to silence for hours before i realize i never turned anything on.

i feel more productive.

i might not actually be producing more, but it helps to look back at the day and have something more tangible to show for it. some kind of progress.

after 7 days, i can't say it's been a dramatic transformation. i’m not cured of distraction. i haven't deleted any apps. i'm not a completely different person but that wasn't the point to begin with. but i can feel the habit shifting, it’s less automatic to reach for my phone when i have a second. it’s a habit i can interrupt now, and that’s a good start. i’m going to keep trying.