How Ease-of-Life Hurts?

Last Diwali, as I sat in my apartment surrounded by packages from various e-commerce sales, scrolling mindlessly through Instagram reels at 2 AM, a realization hit me hard.

The ₹75,000 I had spent during the festive season sales wasn’t bringing me joy – it was bringing me anxiety. The convenience that technology promised was slowly becoming a trap, and I needed to break free.

An Attention Black-Hole

Remember when we had to go to cybercafes and pay ₹30 per hour for internet access? Those days, we valued every minute online. Today, with my “unlimited” ₹999 monthly plan from Airtel Xtreme Fibre, I found myself watching countless YouTube videos about things I’d never actually do.

One day, I tracked my screen time - a shocking 7 hours! That’s nearly a full workday spent mostly on meaningless content.

A friend on mine, a software developer in Bengaluru, shared a similar story. His productivity at work had dropped significantly because he kept checking Twitter (now X) every few minutes for updates on tech news.

Hand a child a phone with YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, & watch them go numb to the surroundings!

What started as a professional necessity had turned into a compulsive habit. He was spending more time reading about coding than actually coding.

The worst part? The algorithms know exactly what keeps us hooked. If you’re into cricket, like me, you’ll find yourself watching not just match highlights, but also random cricket moments from the 90s, behind-the-scenes videos, and even cricket memes.

Before you know it, three hours have passed, and you haven’t completed that important presentation due tomorrow.

It’s Ready-to-Eat!

Growing up, my mother would spend Sunday mornings at the local sabzi mandi (vegetable market) in my small town, carefully selecting fresh vegetables for the week.

Today, I find myself ordering vegetables through Bigbasket, paying ₹80 for 200g of onions that would cost ₹20 if bought at sabzi mandi.

The problem goes deeper than just cost. I recently had some gut issue. My doctor pointed to my reliance on “healthy” packaged foods as a major culprit.

Any food that comes in a package is not good for you!

That mars bar I had been eating for breakfast? It contained more sugar than two gulab jamuns. The ready-to-eat poha? Loaded with preservatives and excess sodium.

My aunt, a 65-year-old who still makes everything from scratch, has better health markers than my 35-year-old self.

If I don’t take control of this, then diabetes will catch me pretty soon.

When Shopping Becomes an Addiction

The ease of online shopping has turned many of us into impulsive buyers.

I still remember my first “accidental” purchase – a ₹4,000 air fryer that I bought at midnight because the app notification claimed there were “only 2 left in stock!” It’s been six months, and I’ve used it exactly twice.

The psychology is fascinating and frightening. These apps have mastered the art of creating artificial urgency.

Flash sales, limited-time deals, and countdown timers trigger our fear of missing out (FOMO).

The “Buy Now” button is always just one tap away, and with saved payment information, there’s no time to reconsider our choices.

Big Billion Day is a scam!

My greatest weakness was books. Being an avid reader sounds intellectual, but hoarding unread books isn’t.

I had collected over 80 books through various Amazon sales, most still unread, gathering dust on my shelves. That’s nearly ₹5,000 worth of good intentions lying un-used.

Intentional Friction is the Solution (maybe)

After months of struggling with these issues, I developed a system that has helped me regain control. Here’s what worked for me:

First, I switched from my unlimited data plan to a limited 3GB per day plan, saving ₹400 monthly in the process.

This simple change made me more conscious of my internet usage. I now cannot browse anything that is interesting. I can only check out the things that I really need.

The next step was harder – removing social media apps from my phone. I didn’t delete my accounts but made them accessible only through my desktop’s browser.

You are staying in My Cart for 48 hours!

The simple act of having to tuen-on my desktop to check Instagram reduced my usage from 3 hours to 20 minutes daily.

For food, I returned to basics. Every Sunday morning, I visit the weekly farmers’ market in my neighborhood.

I save a lot of money spent on these(almost double price at supermarkets). I’ve learned to prep vegetables on weekends, storing them properly for use throughout the week.

The most impactful change was deleting all shopping apps from my phone. Now, if I need to buy something, I follow a 48-hour rule.

I add it to cart and wait two days. If I still need it after 48 hours, I make the purchase through my desktop.

I cannot tell you how many times I have felt like Why did I add this to the cart? This extra step has reduced my impulse purchases by nearly 80%.

I have more ways to save money if you are interested.

The Unexpected Benefits

What started as a money-saving experiment has transformed my life in unexpected ways.

My sleep quality has improved significantly since I stopped doom-scrolling on bed. My digestion has gotten better thanks to home-cooked meals, and I’ve lost 7 kg without any crazy diets.

But the most surprising benefit has been mental clarity. Without constant notifications(I have turned all notifications off) and the endless scroll of social media, I find myself more present in conversations.

This was only possible because of not having an active data pack on my phone as I wanted to not use UPI too much.

I’ve rediscovered old hobbies like reading (actual books, not just buying them) and playing chess whenever I can.

Sometimes I think electricity should be cut-off after sunset!

My bank account shows the difference too. In six months, I’ve saved over ₹1.5 lakhs – money that would have otherwise gone into impulse purchases and convenience services.

The irony isn’t lost on me – we’ve made everything so accessible that we need to consciously make things less accessible to live better lives.

Technology and convenience aren’t inherently evil; it’s the mindless consumption they enable; that’s the problem.

Today, when I see my friends struggling with similar issues, I share my experience.

Some think I’m extreme, but others are inspired to make changes. A friend of mine recently messaged me saying she tried the 48-hour purchase rule and realized she didn’t actually need the fifth pair of sandals that had been sitting in her shopping cart.

Making It Work

Living in a small town, we have some unique advantages in implementing these changes. Our local markets and traditional food practices are still very much alive, unlike in many Western countries.

The sabzi mandi culture, local kirana stores, and strong tradition of home-cooked meals make it easier to avoid processed foods.

For those worried about missing out on deals and discounts, I’ve found that local markets often offer better prices than online platforms, especially for everyday items.

My local fruit vendor gives me better deals than any app, and I get to pick exactly what I want.

Is It Suitable For You?

The key is not to view accessibility as evil but to understand that unlimited accessibility without mindful consumption can be harmful.

It’s about creating systems that help us make better choices.

Start small. Maybe begin with deleting just one shopping app, or switching to a limited data plan for a month.

Monitor the changes in your behavior and spending patterns.

You might be surprised at how little you miss the convenience once you experience the benefits of intentional living.

Remember, the goal isn’t to completely disconnect from technology or modern conveniences.

It’s to use them purposefully rather than letting them use us. As I write this on my laptop, with my phone in another room and no social media tabs open, I feel more in control of my time, money, and health than ever before.

The true luxury in today’s world isn’t having everything at your fingertips – it’s having the wisdom to know when to keep things at arm’s length.