Earlier this year, I made a zine targeted to design-industry folks about technology, social media, and algorithms. It was really fun! You can only get one by meeting me in person or finding one in the wild.
Inside, I wrote a list of ways for people to rediscover their inner whispers. Ways to get bored. Curious. To minimize the outside noise.
I really love this list and revisit it often for myself. I’m constantly editing and expanding it.
Put the phone down. PERIOD. Leave it in another room. Let it live in “the phone room” like we used to have “the computer room.”
Take a “silent walk” with no destination in mind. You wander while your mind wanders.
Lie down on the floor and stare at the ceiling. Seriously. This is what we did in the 80s and 90s before we had smartphones.
Leave your phone in your bag or at home and jump on a train/bus. People watch. Stare out the window. Daydream.
Next time you’re in a long line or waiting for your latte, leave the phone in your pocket. Observe your surroundings in detail, count things, name colors, make up fictional stories about the other people there.
Turn off the streaming service and put on some music. I recommend browsing Bandcamp or Soundcloud using terms or tags. (This is how I discover new music. Sometimes I also look up who bought what on BC, which is really fun! Also check out buymusic.club)
Go to the library and look through the reference books. I loooooove an old biology or botany book. Or a hand-painted animal reference book. Also, vintage magazines! I buy them on eBay. So much inspiration. While you’re there, get some fiction by choosing a random book based on its cover or close your eyes and take a chance!
Go to a park and sit on a bench. Take deep breaths of fresh air. People watch.
Commit to exercises from The Artist’s Way, such as Morning Pages or Artist Dates.
Sit by a window and write down everything you hear and see 10 minutes.
Take yourself out to a romantic dinner alone and leave your phone behind.
Start a doodle sketchbook of what you see. Document your experiences in a way that doesn’t involve taking pics with your phone. It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw! That’s not the point. Drawing makes you more observant.
Let me know if you have any other suggestions in the comments. Would love to hear the ways you tune out the noise.
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