Lately, I’ve been fed up with how much consuming I do.
We live in a world that makes it so easy to consume media, information, and entertainment. Millions of hours of content are available at our fingertips – literally, because it’s on our phones, which seem to always be in our hands.
I’ve recently realized that creating gives me so much more pleasure than consuming does. It energizes me more, plus it gives me an actual outcome (whether that be a finished product or developed talents) to show for my time.
Something clicked in me when I realized that most of my days were spent doing something that anyone could do – specifically, consuming someone else’s creation.
I wanted to do more of what only I could do – create something myself.
Recommended: Do More of What Only You Can Do
So, I’m on a mission to create more than I consume, every day.
How can I create more than I consume?
Here are the steps you can take to start creating more than you consume:
Decide what types of consumption are valuable to you.
It isn’t realistic to give up all consumption of entertainment or education (and that doesn’t sound very fun either.) Think about what websites, shows, or other media that you value the most and that you’d like to keep in your life.
Do you have an uplifting podcast you look forward to listening to on your commute to work? Do you cherish family movie time on Sunday evenings?
Personally, I love reading. It’s part of my nightly routine, and usually part of my afternoon break. To me, that’s a type of consumption that is valuable.
I also love a good TV show, but there are certain shows that I don’t really like, like reality shows or soap opera-y dramas. They’re just not my cup of tea, and yet, I’ll sometimes find myself watching them if I don’t remind myself that I’d rather be doing something else. 😛
When it comes to short-form content consumption, like watching TikTok videos or Instagram reels, I don’t find a lot of value in them, so I’ve cut them out of my life.
Make a plan for how much you want to consume and when you’ll do it.
Because the world is tailored to make it easy to access content, you’ll probably find that you need to actively make decisions and set limits for how much you want to consume.
If you allow yourself to pull out your phone or turn on the TV whenever you “feel like it,” you might find more time slipping away than you want to.
On the other hand, if you make a plan for when and how much you want to consume, you might not only find yourself with more time in your day, but you’ll enjoy your “consumption time” even more.
What does this planning look like? It could be something like this:
- Your favorite podcast – listen during your commute to work
- Family movie night – Sunday nights
- That TV show you’re currently into – watch one episode after dinner every day
- Reading – 30 minutes after lunch and 30 minutes before bed
Prioritize creating – make it obvious and easy to do
Cutting down on consumption is only half of what we’re trying to accomplish. The other half is creating more.
If you modify your environment to make it easy to consume less and create more, you’re halfway there. It will set you up for success.
Recommended: How Creating a New Environment Can Help You Build Better Habits
Decide what kinds of creating you want to do, and make it easy to get started on that, every day.
- If you want to play your guitar more, take it out of its case and set it in the middle of the room.
- If you want to cook more, have the ingredients ready and the recipes printed out and sitting on your kitchen counter.
- If you want to paint or draw more, have your art supplies out on your desk.
Whatever it is that you want to do more of, make it easy to do.
Set limits on “education consumption”
Education consumption is when you’re consuming because you want to learn something.
Learning is good, but sometimes we get stuck in the cycle of scrolling on Reddit, looking at blogs, and watching YouTube videos for hours, because we’re “learning.”
This is what some people call passive action, not massive action (I’ve also heard it called being in motion rather than taking action).
When I first started this blog, I fell into the habit of consuming way more than I created.
I would read lots of blog articles in the name of doing “research,” but really, it was just procrastinating doing the actual work.
Eventually, I made a rule for myself: I would read other bloggers’ posts on Fridays, from 10:00-11:00 am.
That’s all I need. One hour a week. If I come across a post outside of that set time that I want to read, I’ll pin it or save it for my blog-consuming time.
Here are some other ways you can make sure your “education consumption” doesn’t go overboard:
- Have a specific question you’re researching, and once it’s answered, close the YouTube or Reddit (or whatever) tab.
- Set a timer. “I’ll research ‘best ways to organize closet’ for 10 minutes, then I’ll be done.”
- Designate a scheduled amount of time every day or week for education. (This is what I’ve done with reading blogs. I do it for one hour on Friday mornings.)
Remember that Scrolling = Consuming.
Every time you find yourself scrolling, you are not creating.
Set timers for yourself when you get on scroll-heavy websites or apps, like social media sites, so that you don’t get sucked into the scroll for longer than you want.
Be mindful of multitasking too much
Multitasking is often a way we sneak consumption time in, like when you put on a TV show while you do laundry or like when I listen to a podcast while I’m outlining this blog article right now. 😀
Even though studies have shown multitasking decreases our efficiency, I’m definitely not against doing it at times. We’re humans, not machines, after all, and multitasking can make certain tasks (like doing the dishes or folding laundry) much more enjoyable.
That said, having a TV show on in the background all day makes my brain muddled and unfocused.
In my quest to consume less and create more, I’m challenging myself to work on one thing at a time more often, without the need for background consumption.
Of course, there are some times when I think it’s nice to have something going on in the background. If you prefer to work with some noise going on around you, try midi-tasking. It’s a better alternative to multitasking if you want to get stuff done.
Recommended: Midi-Tasking… The Better Way to Multi-Task
Get enough rest
It’s really hard to feel creative when you’re exhausted. A tired mind wants to consume.
Prioritize getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and exercising to give yourself the greatest energy advantage.
The truth is, you may think you’re tired, but consuming media may be what’s sucking your energy. Creating something might actually boost your energy and provide better leisure time than consumption would.
Conclusion
If you want to join me in consuming less and creating more, I hope these steps will help you in your journey!
Remember, there’s nothing wrong with consuming content, as long as you’re intentional about what, when, and how much you want to consume.
I still plan on “consuming” every day. I just want to create more.
What about you?
Best of luck!
