I am starting a habit that I call “Less quantity and more presence”. There are always too many options: too many video games, books, music, movies, series, etc. This causes me to have analysis paralysis; that is, I take a long time to choose. Sometimes I take longer to choose a movie on Netflix, and sometimes after browsing the catalog for half an hour, I think “what a drag”, turn off the TV, and end up looking at my phone (where others decide what content I see, but that is another problem).
And the other thing is that once I choose a book, video game, or movie, instead of enjoying it, I am thinking about the next one, the one I didn’t choose: “Is it better? Did I choose well? I want to start the next one already”. It has happened to me that I finish games or books quickly and without enjoying them in all their splendor because I already want to start the other one, as if finishing them were a goal. Sometimes I think that things used to be better, done with more quality, but could it be that I enjoyed these things more back then because I could only have one at a time (one rented movie, a single video game) instead of having to choose among so many, so there was nothing left but to enjoy the present?
So the habit I have been practicing for a few weeks consists of several things:
- Less consumption (especially in video format, less Netflix, YouTube) and being more selective, especially with series that require a large time investment if you start them.
- Once I choose, dedicate myself and focus on that one without thinking if another might be better, simply enjoying the present moment.
- Thinking that it is not a race, it is a scenic route.
- As an extra, not getting carried away by promotions like trailers, advertising, YouTuber reviews, or recommendations to start something new, especially if it’s not the type of content I truly enjoy.
So far it has gone excellently, I have liked it a lot and I feel that I have enjoyed the content I consume more. I hope to keep practicing it to be more conscious, present, and less rushed and overwhelmed by things that don’t merit it.