Thoughts on crafting (sewing/knitting/crocheting/other art/etc.) while listening to music or watching a small to large sized screen?
I feel music is passive enough and still allows you to (hyper)focus and be intentional in your craft. But sometimes a simultaneous screen or podcast can be fun but very definitely distracts. I struggle to focus on my task while listening to something but still have that intrinsic "addict-like" need to put something on when I start. And more and more frequently, consciously choosing to complete a task without an extra screen/earphone has lead to much more peaceful and enjoyable afternoons. It is getting past that first impulse which is so hard.
Thank you for a lovely article! It is going to help me try commit to being more intentional with the small screen.
At the moment I've been using knitting while doing something else as an alternative to biting my fingers, and I don't think it's all bad, but doing one thing at a time (especially if it's with your hands) is the best thing at the end of the day, I think. That said, listening to something at the same time is better to watching something, I think, because at least your visual attention is focused on one thing.
I'm glad you enjoyed! I still find myself reaching for a scroll after publishing this, but posting it is me committing to trying not to do it. We can!
Niamh, thank you for this fantastic reflection on the role of screens in our lives. I love that you brought in DVD stores — my heart aches a little at the memories.
When it comes to intentionality, I can chalk up at least one win. I've rewired my brain so I absolutely cannot do anything else when watching a movie. Not scrolling or sketching or anything remotely "useful" in getting anything done outside of appreciating the work in front of me.
That said, it is the ONLY space where I can claim that attentiveness. LinkedIn searches commingled with single-page reading marathons? I'm right there with you.
As someone who constantly drowns out the silence with a novel or sketchbook, it's nice to be reminded to listen to the birdsong and crash of the waves a little more closely and learn to appreciate the silence between moments.
Thanks so much for this comment! I'm glad the piece resonated :)
I have struggled to only watch movies and not do anything else. Currently I'm trying to limit the doing-something-while-watching to knitting (so that I'm watching the screen for most of the time), but I do sometimes end up doing planning in a journal or some other distracting thing. You are proof that it is possible to not do this!
Thoughts on crafting (sewing/knitting/crocheting/other art/etc.) while listening to music or watching a small to large sized screen?
I feel music is passive enough and still allows you to (hyper)focus and be intentional in your craft. But sometimes a simultaneous screen or podcast can be fun but very definitely distracts. I struggle to focus on my task while listening to something but still have that intrinsic "addict-like" need to put something on when I start. And more and more frequently, consciously choosing to complete a task without an extra screen/earphone has lead to much more peaceful and enjoyable afternoons. It is getting past that first impulse which is so hard.
Thank you for a lovely article! It is going to help me try commit to being more intentional with the small screen.
At the moment I've been using knitting while doing something else as an alternative to biting my fingers, and I don't think it's all bad, but doing one thing at a time (especially if it's with your hands) is the best thing at the end of the day, I think. That said, listening to something at the same time is better to watching something, I think, because at least your visual attention is focused on one thing.
I'm glad you enjoyed! I still find myself reaching for a scroll after publishing this, but posting it is me committing to trying not to do it. We can!
Niamh, thank you for this fantastic reflection on the role of screens in our lives. I love that you brought in DVD stores — my heart aches a little at the memories.
When it comes to intentionality, I can chalk up at least one win. I've rewired my brain so I absolutely cannot do anything else when watching a movie. Not scrolling or sketching or anything remotely "useful" in getting anything done outside of appreciating the work in front of me.
That said, it is the ONLY space where I can claim that attentiveness. LinkedIn searches commingled with single-page reading marathons? I'm right there with you.
As someone who constantly drowns out the silence with a novel or sketchbook, it's nice to be reminded to listen to the birdsong and crash of the waves a little more closely and learn to appreciate the silence between moments.
Thanks so much for this comment! I'm glad the piece resonated :)
I have struggled to only watch movies and not do anything else. Currently I'm trying to limit the doing-something-while-watching to knitting (so that I'm watching the screen for most of the time), but I do sometimes end up doing planning in a journal or some other distracting thing. You are proof that it is possible to not do this!