ways I say ‘f*** you’ to my phone (a late-summer status report)
On achieving better sleep hygiene & boundaries with my phone. PLUS, attending TIFF 2024 + some general life updates.
Bad Bvssy Digest is a new section of bad bvssy: a roundup of moments & cultural touchstones (or in this case, new habits) that I’m obsessed with. We’re kicking off the segment softly with a post today about sleep hygieneI think my brain has a leak. Perhaps you might relate? After [redacted] amount of hours on TikTok and Instagram, I think my brain is succumbing to inevitable singularity, leading to a bad case of brain rot. I’ve been having a lot of ‘off’ days lately, where I can’t seem to get enough done. Usually, this is caused by sleepless nights spent in front of screens. These are days where my brain feels mushy and soggy and my hand always seems to mindlessly reach for my phone. Many days I detest having my phone, detest feeling attached to the overwhelming and constant influx of information coming from screens. But I’m trying to embrace this technology as a tool that allows me to connect with others and stay informed — rather than just an oppressive device that colonizes my attention span. To do this, I have been trying to introduce some new boundaries in my sleep schedule to set me and my work up for a good night’s sleep.
Some general practices I’ve been into:
Alarm Clocks
I’ve gotten an alarm clock to use in place of my phone. I’m trying to practice not scrolling first thing in the morning. This only works if I charge my phone in another room though… Chai and Pilates sometimes help too.
Designated Message Times
I try to block out time at the top of my work day or before bedtime to get through all the messages I’ve been avoiding responding to. I am naturally a notoriously bad texter, as many of my friends know. However, while I reject the idea that I should be available to everyone at any time of the day, I also try to hold myself to a higher expectation of responding to others in a timely manner. To do this while simultaneously protecting my ‘me’ time, I block out an hour at the top of every day, every other day, or sometimes just 30 minutes after I shower to respond to messages.
Running, Stretching, and Showering before Dinner or Bedtime
I started running a month ago. My practice is pretty irregular. One week I’m running everyday and the next I’m running once or twice. So on and so forth. I tend to do a lot of my runs before dinner or before bedtime. Do I recommend it? Hell no. Sometimes the adrenaline from my run keeps me up at night. And sure, it’s not advisable running when it’s dark, mostly for safety reasons... but I love how tender my body feels when I’m laying in bed. Helps me fall right asleep.
Blue Light Glasses
A good friend gifted me some transparent blue light frames a long time ago but I have a bad habit of not wearing them when I’m on my computer at night. We are rebuilding that habit now. I have not been great about sleeping at a reasonable time lately. So from here on out, babes: No Screens after 11pm. I’m just trying to manifest honestly. I don’t need anymore late nights playing Overwatch 2 or CK3. Let’s get you (me) to bed, grandma.
Late Night Musings on the Notes App or Telegram App:
Now I know that the whole point of this is to get off our phones at night, but some nights my brain is too active and I need to dump it somewhere. I am naturally a very digital person. Perhaps the better suggestion is to journal before bed. But I grew up on Myspace, Xanga, and Tumblr. My brain is built for late night typing. Last year, I wrote all of my journal entries in the early morning by hand in my notebook. It was very unlike me, and it was a life-changing practice. But these days, after the hustle and bustle of a long day, what I need is to dump all my creative ideas into my Notes app on my phone (or my saved messages on Telegram), where I know I’ll find them soon.
Altar Time:
Some difficult days, I carry a heaviness in my chest and a buzzing in my head. I just feel out of sorts, maybe even lost or confused. This heaviness is often resolved by some quiet time spent in front of my altar space near my bed. We all have complex relationships with our ancestors, and having a designated space has been really pivotal for me to build a relationship with loved ones who have passed on. This is a perfect space for me to reflect, to cry, to reach out, and have life breathed back into me.
These are the changes I am making to be a more well-rested bitch who isn’t chained to her phone all day. This is all to say: that’s all I got.
Sike!!! And now, we have announcement time!
Super honored that since starting this Substack, I’ve been selected for a couple of wonderful opportunities:
In less than a week, I’ll be in Toronto for TIFF 2024! Thanks to the festival for sponsoring my attendance and granting me access through their Media Inclusion Initiative. You can expect some incoming posts about the films I’ll be seeing while attending.
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to attend Chicago’s Film Critics Festival at the Music Box and saw some of the most notable films I’ve gotten to see this year. More on those films later. Thanks to Rotten Tomatoes and the Chicago Critics Film Association for recognizing me as one of this year’s Emerging Critics, and for sponsoring my attendance to the festival!
And finally, I was also selected as a Fellow for Open Television’s 2024 Global Cohort of Intersectional Storytellers. So sick! Now, what does that mean? Through my time in this fellowship, I’m focused on developing a film project called Not Like Other Vampires. I’m not quite ready to talk details just yet, but I just wanted to share an exciting update to plant the seed. I’m super excited to be able to bring more insight on the project to everyone soon.
Wishing you an abundant end to your summer,
L A Y A