My Self-Care Tablet
On Prime Day, I decided to purchase a Samsung Tablet so that I could improve my graphic design and digital art skills to create even better book covers and maybe learn how to draw my own character art. What I didn't expect when I got my tablet in the mail, was how it would change my evenings and support my nervous system.
When I first opened the tablet from the Amazon box, I was mesmerized by the tranquil blue on the back. Because I didn't want to do too much on it until I got my screen protector and case in the mail, I kept the apps I downloaded to a minimum: Netflix, Kindle, and a drawing app.
That same day, I took the tablet to the back porch and started reading a dark romance book by K.G. Reuss. I was shocked by how quickly I was reading on my tablet, because I had the same book on my phone, and was not able to read it to this degree. In fact, this entire year, I've been reading less and less, far from reaching my 35 books a year goal.
Later that night, I started watching a new anime on the tablet as I sat on the couch eating a snack. I could tell I felt different, and I wasn't sure why. The next time I picked up my cell phone to check a notification, and instantly felt my anxiety spike for no reason, I connected the dots and knew exactly why I finally felt some peace.
My tablet had no apps that brought me stress: social media, to-do apps, texting, calling, etc. Between my day job and running an author LLC, life has become chaotic on top of dealing with the horrors of how people can treat you online. I'm someone who has always really struggled with anxiety and nervous system issues, and this year has tested my limits psychologically. I always knew the internet was toxic, but not to the degree I experienced in 2023.
Since March, I've been living in a constant state of hell, so how could something as purchasing a tablet help so immensely?
From that point forward, I made a commitment to myself that my tablet would only be used for two things: creativity and self-care. No TikTok or Instagram. No TickTick, Timetree, or Notion apps with my endless author to-do list. Only self love and care.
It has even improved my writing, as I only do book-related stuff on it that pertains to my worlds and characters such as Pinterest. I also made the aesthetic of the tablet similar to the new novella I'm working on.
All in all, I highly recommend having a tablet dedicated to self care and turning off all that toxic dopamine our phones bring us. Every night, I turn on some Crunchyroll and lie back on the couch while I eat cinnamon toast and it's been one of the most resetting things for me. (Aside from my ice baths, of course, which I promise I will never shut up about.)
