Hello there everyone! ❤️

Here’s a personal and for me important topic – the time I/we all stare into a smartphone screen.

Have you ever tried to find a value in your time? A value in the things you do, the purpose you follow?

These question got me about a month ago, I’ve started to question myself with the purpose and the value of my time. .

Now, there is that feature in iOS devices that’s called screen time (I’m sure there’s something similar for android, too).

What’s your average screen time? Mine was at about 4 to 5 hours a day, spend with Instagram, Facebook and other social media’s.

Let’s face it, 4 to 5 hours a day isn’t that much, right?

Truth is, 4 hours a day end up with 28 hours a week, 112 hours a months, 1456 hours a year. Read that again, that’s 1456 hours a year. In other words, that’s like 60 days a year.

60 days!

So, during the time of about 6 years I’ve spend a full year, 365 days, looking at my screen. That message got me, it got me reconsidering the value of my time. 
Imagine you’d had a 60 day holiday each year, 60 days for reading, for doing meaningful things like connecting with family and friends. 

At this point, a month ago, I’ve decided to delete all social media apps from my phone, going for a full on digital detox.

Fast forward – it’s been a month now without instagram, with deleting the app from my smartphone.

What a tough decision in the beginning, but what a freeing one in the long run. I’m more focused, less distracted. I’ve stopped comparing myself to other travellers and photographers. My state of mind got more calm, all of a sudden I had the time to read and meet friends, more time to focus.

Being offline, being disconnected from the fast world of social media really helps to get the ability to focus back, it helps to find a state of zen. Our brain is build in a way that it needs to idle in order to process information. Through the smartphone distraction we’re constantly forcing our brain to process more and more stuff, mostly stuff without any purpose and information. The logical reaction: Our brain is looking for a way to shut down, to stop the flow of information. There is a high increase of people with depression and burnout in our young generation. I’m sure it got something to do with our constant distraction, with the constant flow of information. Please, allow your brain to do nothing, take your time to do nothing.

It’s been a discomforting decision at the beginning, but that’s what life is about 👉 seeking discomfort! It’s about spending time offline, about creating, about being outside, about meeting friends and family. No one will remember the hours spent staring into a screen, but we’re all going to remember the memories we’re creating.

Personally it’s been a fantastic month full of new adventures around my home area with @anna_mandragora and @mona.ebbi, a great trip to Passau, @martindoersch did a podcast with me about my photography, plenty of new projects, photoshoots and new customers.

Deleting apps that are distracting is definitely a big win for your mental health, for your inner zen, for your friends and your family. Just delete these apps without thinking too long about it, everything else will happen down the road.

That’s it for today, just felt like sharing this with you folks. What’s your opinion about the value of your own time, how do you value it? Are you keen to delete your social media apps for a few days or weeks?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments ❤️

Best,