Mapping My Digital Space

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 How I Use My Digital Space

Photo Source: Personal Image

Personal
Although I feel like I'm using technology all day (personally and professionally), I've noticed that my days don't have much variety in the apps I use. I'm not surprised by this at all because I'm usually a bit resistant to downloading new apps. Like I've said in an older post, I've been using Snapchat as my primary means of communication since 2013. Besides Snapchat, TikTok has quickly become one of my most used personal apps. This was also an app that I was reluctant to use, surprisingly. It took me a few months into COVID-19 quarantine to cave in and get it! Truthfully, I feel like that's when most people got into it (even though it was formed in 2018). YouTube is definitely a comfort app for me. I've always gravitated to watching videos on there rather than watching what was on cable. I think these are my "Big Three" when it comes to my "for fun" app. The other apps I included in my maps, on the personal side, are more for casual browsing. Pinterest, on the other hand, has increased in usage since I've been curating wedding idea boards in addition to program ideas. Overall, my usage fluctuates with how busy I am, meaning my screen time goes up on the weekends and down during the work week.

Professional
At work, my day consists of checking emails when I first get in, creating media for programs on Canva or sometimes on different Microsoft apps, and then looking at Pinterest for program ideas. Throughout my typical workflow, I also utilize PrarieCat to help patrons find the book that they need. I added Blogger up there too, since we're using this platform to help build our professional presence. One app that I didn't include on my map was Beanstack. During reading program seasons at my library, it would be right in between professional and personal, and closer to the resident side. I didn't include this because it is currently out of my rotation.

Any Surprises?
With the map itself, I'm not very surprised at my results. I have a tendency to be a creature of habit, even in my digital space. I did check at my phone settings to see how I divided my time, and I was a little bit surprised with how little time I spent actually using Snapchat. I realized that while it may be my most frequented app, it is mainly used for quick responses to my friends and family. What I didn't realize was that out of the estimated 5 hours I spent using my phone throughout this past Sunday, only about 17 minutes of that time was spent on Snapchat. That difference was definitely not what I expected (even though I really don't talk to that many people 😅). Overall, I feel like 5 hours as a whole on a weekend sounds like a lot, but I do use my phone to look up information for class when I'm on the go, and I play music or videos on YouTube when I'm working around the house, so I can see how it adds up.



Comments

  1. OBOUBE September 11, 2024 at 12:21 PM

    I thought your post was beautiful. I can totally relate to you being reticent downloading new apps. And yet there is no end to useful apps that can enhance either your private, personal, or professional life. So many apps so little time! I recently took on stretching for health reasons and found that even here, there exists an app specifically dedicated to that activity: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=stretching.stretch.exercises.back&hl=en_US
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2024 at 11:14 AM

    Hi Monica!
    I really appreciate how relatable your post is, especially when you mentioned your initial reluctance to try TikTok during the pandemic—that resonates with a lot of us! I also found it interesting that your actual usage of Snapchat turned out to be less than you expected. Have you noticed similar surprises when using other apps or tracking your screen time?
    Keep up the great work!
    H. Yancy

    ReplyDelete
  3. NMZumpanoSeptember 12, 2024 at 3:45 PM

    Great point about how that time adds up quickly when you are online! Thanks for walking us through your map and for the additional note about Beanstack.

    ReplyDelete

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