practicing simplicity / the "i" issue!

I've recently been really enjoying reading and thinking about the little post series that Jodi has been writing about on her blog Che and Fidel. Called Practicing Simplicity, Jodi is slowly and beautifully moving through different aspects of everyday moments of life to find the beautiful and simple in her days. It's inspiring me so much in ways I'm thinking. Often taking small moments of time with dedicated movements can make changes that ever so evolve into new ways. 

This article is a great starting point of ideas to work towards, found on Jodi's first simplicity post. 

I hope each week to come here with ideas and goals to work towards, as well as some achieved. To share with you how I'm moving, thoughts on why and what.

One of the biggest distractions in our daily life right now, the thing that is simple in itself, yet eats time and attention and direct eye contact. Our iphones. For they are not just phones are they. These things that bring so much, yet take so much. Some nights I'm disgusted to find all four of us - kids and adults - on a device each, sitting in the same room and communicating through these machines. We have three iphones (Sam and I have one each, and we have an old one that isn't connected to the telephone system but the kids play games and connect through our wifi) and also an ipad.

Sometimes I console myself that we don't have a tv, and the kids aren't watching cartoons every morning or junk every afternoon, like other families. But we are not other families. And I do not want us to be other families.

I will admit here and now that I am somewhat ever so slightly addicted to instagram. Oh ok - you know better. It's where I am, when I'm not here (and I haven't been here much have I!!). I feel at times it sits on the healthy addiction side of inspiration. But when I find myself hitting refresh endlessly wondering why no-one's posted a new picture in the last 17seconds, those are the moments I know it's not healthy. 

So, my practicing simplicity this week will be:

+ no checking of emails on my phone at all. Do that on my computer only (unless there's an important message I'm expecting), twice a day.

+ no instagram in the morning before school - turn off all notifications (I currently have comments notifications set)

+ limit each instagram session to 10minutes at a time. Over coffee in the morning is ok - after kids have gone on the bus.

+ no instagram between 3 - 8pm, this is kid focus time.

+ no late night 3am instagram sessions (that surely sounds like a bad habit doesn't it!). 

+ I do not currently play any games or other apps on my phone so don't need to limit these. 

+ the children may play the ipad only once they have completed all afternoon chores & homework, and not after dinner time or before school time. They may use it for research for school homework.

This is a start. And no small start I feel, to making some little changes to our days. To stopping and looking in the eyes of my family a bit longer, and not wondering what new images I'm missing on instagram.