I’ve been a big fan of digital minimalism. Over the years I’ve done several experiments. I was reducing screen time, owning my calendar, and purposely using my energy. I’ve written about some of them in the productivity category.

Over the last few months, I’ve spent more time in my bed or couch than ever. When I got hospitalized I removed most of the screen limitation settings I set in the past. Why need a “work” filter, if you spend 5 days in the hospital?

As a result, my screen time rose fast. With no energy to do things and no app blockers, I was rocking a steady 5-7 hours of screen time a day. Most of my time is spent sending Instagram reels or discovering new subreddits.

A few days ago I received a notification that my average screen time for the week was around 6 hours a day. This made me a bit uncomfortable. Sure my circumstances have changed quite drastically. But 6 hours is a bit much. Do I really need to scroll on my phone and watch YouTube at the same time? Or can I cut back on my screen time and enjoy the little things as well?

One of those little things I enjoyed was my twin’s fascination with the moon. It might be the Sinterklaas songs we are singing about the moon. They are obsessed with it. Every time they go outside I get an excited status report as soon as they come back inside. Usually in one of these flavors:

• Dad, I saw the moon!
• I saw the moon but it was hidden behind a cloud or a building
• The moon was not there

It’s wonderful to see how excited they can be about something normal to us. I guess that is what slowing down and enjoying the little things is all about.