A Day of No Techno
So this task wasn’t planned to fall during Mental Health Awareness Week but hey no complaints.
Since this Lockdown began, my friend and fellow artist Sinead Price Greene and I have been doing weekly creative tasks. Each Friday we would meet and give eachother creative tasks, these would be: Text tasks, images, outdoor tasks and readings. Sinead has been helping me with my performances I have in development whilst I have been helping her with her novel.
When I got given the task of 12 hours of no technology, I felt 2 things :
“I can’t do this!” All my work is online and how will I be able to create my shows? I was having a bit of anxiety because I was worried about missing an important email or something was going to happen and I would be not contactable.
“Bring It ON!” I was feeling ready for a challenge. I was noticing since being in Lockdown for 2 months (or more, not sure lost count!), I was working from my phone or laptop and not giving myself a break. I was noticing I was getting headaches by early evening time. I was was ready for the challenge and the space for self care. I was ready to go with plan no Techno!
And the day arrived. It was a day that woke up with me feeling anxious I was missing something or was going to miss something but woke up, stretched and ate food and did some meditation. This really helped me to relax and get into a calm zone. A great practice I have felt to get into a calm zone, or to clear the mind.
It was also the hottest day of 2020 so far. It was 24 degrees here in Glasgow. It made me think of how I would’ve liked to have been outside with friends, instead I was inside looking at the clear blue sky. And one thing I did enjoy doing indoors with no technology, was having a freer mind not panicking as much about emails and so I wrote some more poetry. Here is one for you:
“Sitting looking at the sky, As I’m inside, there’s no way
That I can fly so high and enjoy this sunny day”
Then my dad asked if I wanted to go to the shops with him, so finally had a refreshing shower and headed out to the local Tesco. It was definitely warm. We walked and followed the social distancing rules. It is so weird now going even food shopping as you can’t freely walk down the aisles. You now have to follow a one-way system around the store. It is definitely a new experience.
We then walked back home and it was nice just to slowly walk and enjoy the heat on the back of my neck. I was taking in the fresh air, and not worrying about if there was a virus in the air or not.
I then came home and got this bug to start cleaning, so i reorganised my bookshelves before launching into my creative work. Firstly I sat and just read some magazines and newspaper articles. I then launched right into my writing of my new work in progress. I finally was getting a skeleton together for my show on Dyslexia which I was really happy with.
One thing that I was allowed to do was use my TV to put on CVs and Audiobooks to relax. And I am glad I got this wee bit of leeway because I took the time out to get some old CDs that I hadn’t listened to for over a decade. I was listening to old tunes and bops that took me back to memories of school trips, Prom, nights outs and times when I was feeling up or down. It was great to also go on a hunt for all my old CDs.
Songs that I forgot were great hits included:
The Hoosiers
Dance Wiv Me by Dizzee Rascal
Black and Gold by Sam Sparro
Warwick Avenue by Duffy
Don’t Speak French by Girls Aloud
Black Eyed Peas
Kelly Rowland
And the list could go on! It made me feel so positive having found all my old CDs and also made me connect with the thought of how good it was at a time when we weren’t so connected to technology and we could have music playing to lift our moods. Now we can find music so freely on apps, on our phones or on Youtube. It was just great to connect to a way before all that appeared.
I also just sat and read with my wee lamp on. Now I am a big reader but this was different. I usually have some noise in the background but this was just the noise of the birds and kids playing outside my window, which was a real nice change. It was connecting to nature.
Once I had finished my 12 hours (I did more that 12 and also had a nap too!), I went and sat with my family. Mum is a nurse so currently is working with covid-19 patients alot and so was nice to sit with her for a bit. But I felt so revived and refreshed. I switched on my phone just to see if everything was oks and it was and it went back off quickly and I relaxed for the night with my book.
I don’t think I would have struggled with this if I wasn’t in lockdown. I love to be able to sit in cafe’s and read and write. I like to sit in libraries and read. On hot days I would get a milkshake or a juice and sit in a park. I also would be at work where I wouldn’t be on my phone or laptop.
It was a refreshing day and great learning. It made me see how with the years going on we are so connected to technology. Sadly it is the day we live in and there is also the positives as currently in the world it is a way we are all connecting. But this 12 hours made me think how it is important to take a moment away from our phones or laptops. Try it for yourself and you will feel great.
My friend Alistair does a no screen Sunday, and I think it is great! And I now know I will be using my phone less and connecting with the sounds of nature and books around me.
I am thankful to my friend Sinead for giving me this task, as it has helped with my mental health.
What I learnt from yesterday was:
The sound of silence and nature is gorgeous
Deep reading: reading and not thinking of anything else, is a great way to connect with words
The brain can connect to do other things when not linked to a screen.
Technology is not great for your health.
But in short, this was a great day that had positive affects on my mental health and here is a poem I wrote yesterday, to end this blog!
Disconnected from You
I woke up away from you, Not turning on your light.
Spending 12 hours connecting, to others within my sight.
Reaching for the frying pan, Cleaning out my rubbish.
You Think I’m disconnected from you. Yes I am, but I’m not being selfish.
Keeping a distance, Listening to an Old Remix CD,
I’ve been disconnected from You today, from my Phone and TV
