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How to Host a “No Phones” Gathering

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Bringing the “No phones in meeting” policy to your friend gathering  The snacks are coming in, the cheers are getting louder, and the game is getting heated- until someone finally flips the board, and it’s over. Sounds so much fun, right? Except how do you bring people together when they keep stepping away for ‘just one more call’? It isn’t far-fetched to say that phones often drain the life out of a room. The simple solution: Have a “no-phones” policy when you plan your next gathering. Here’s how to tackle the “but I want to capture the best moments” excuse from your Snapchat-addicted friend.   Fun Activities for a No-Phone Gathering   Reading Party: If your friend group is full of wallflowers, the best way to get them involved is to have a reading party. You could decide on a book of the day or a particular author or simply, any book one wishes to read. Think of it like a mini book club where the focus is on quiet engagement, rather than constant phone checking. Creating Art Not Content: Meeting up and creating reels with friends is fun, but you know what’s more fun: judging their artworks (unless you have your own Bob Ross). Tap into your inner child and embrace creative activities like painting, sketching, or DIY crafts. It’s a chance to let go of the digital world and reconnect with hands-on fun. Karaoke night: It is worth it Book a karaoke room with your friends and sing to your heart’s content all the MTV hits you grew up on. Sing terribly, laugh at yourselves, and have fun. No phones means no distractions, just pure, unfiltered fun. Crocheting is Fun: Now that sustainability is fashionable. Take the pressure off trying a new hobby and make it a group event. You might find out that you suck at it, or you may have a new money-saving trick up your sleeve. What’s important is it will be a great bonding activity.  Baking Together: It’s fun, and you get a cookie reward. Make it a challenge: Who will bake the best cookies without Googling recipes? Laugh at the baking mishaps and enjoy tasty treats at the end (hopefully). Outdoor Sports: Let’s kick it. Why Should Kids Have All the Fun? Get everyone in their comfiest fits and have a good ol’ session of football, cricket, or basketball in your nearest public park. It’s the best way to get everyone moving, laughing, and working together as a team.   Designate a Timeframe Fun is necessary, but we cannot ignore that important ‘work calls’ are, in fact, important. So, designate a timeframe in between when everyone can check their phones to stay updated. After that, phones go back to the “phone jail,” and the fun continues. This way, everyone stays in the loop without letting their devices dominate the night. Tell Everyone in Advance A lot of people, especially introverts, might be apprehensive of the idea, so it’s important to make sure who is comfortable or not. A little heads-up about the nature of the gathering would do good. This also gives them a chance to suggest alternative activities or voice any concerns they might have. What CTRL+Z Suggests   Raise the stakes: the first person to check their phone will pay for everyone. Yeah, that will do the trick. So, dear reader, if you are planning a no-phone gathering, I hope it’s a success. Whether it’s laughing over bad karaoke or baking cookies from scratch, the key is to make memories in real-time, not on a phone screen. With the right activities and a little planning, your no-phone gathering is sure to be a hit. No Comments Offline Mode About the Author Sneha A young writer that writes about things that matter most- identity, family, adulting, digital life (or the lack of it). Sometimes, I also indulge in making memes and writing poetry; the two spectrums of creativity. I also love music and engaging in different fandoms. Always been the girl with ‘too many’ opinions and will always be one. Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse About the Author Sneha A young writer that writes about things that matter most- identity, family, adulting, digital life (or the lack of it). Sometimes, I also indulge in making memes and writing poetry; the two spectrums of creativity. I also love music and engaging in different fandoms. Always been the girl with ‘too many’ opinions and will always be one. Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse

Offline Mode

Social Battery Management: Know Your Limits! 

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Your social battery needs recharging too—don’t let burnout get the best of you!  We all know the feeling, your phone dies in the middle of the day, and suddenly everything seems to stop. But what if we told you your social battery works the same way? After spending time around people or engaging in endless social media scrolls, we all feel the need to recharge. As Gen Z, balancing school, work, relationships, and digital presence can drain our energy quickly. So, how do you stay socially active without running out of fuel? Here’s your ultimate guide to managing your social battery! 1. Understand Your Social Battery Level You’re not a robot. Your social energy has limits, and once it’s drained, you’ll feel it. Feeling irritable or unable to focus? That’s a sign your battery’s low. Knowing when you’ve hit your limit is key to avoiding burnout. CTRL+Z Tip: Pay attention to physical signs like tiredness, frustration, or the urge to zone out. These signals help you know when it’s time to recharge. 2. Set Boundaries (And Stick to Them!) It’s hard, but sometimes you need to say no. You don’t have to attend every event or respond to every text. Boundaries help protect your social battery and keep you from feeling drained. CTRL+Z Tip: If you’re not ready to commit, say “no” nicely. Example: “I’d love to hang out, but I’m feeling worn out today. Let’s plan something soon!” 3. Know When You Need to Recharge Just like your phone, you need to plug in sometimes. Whether it’s meditation, reading, or catching up on your favorite show, make sure you’re recharging with activities that restore you, not drain you further. CTRL+Z Tip: Check in with yourself throughout the day. Ask: Do I feel drained or energized? This helps you decide when to recharge. 4. Quality Over Quantity FOMO is real, but quality connections matter more than quantity. It’s better to have a few deep, meaningful conversations than to stretch yourself too thin with a bunch of shallow ones. CTRL+Z Tip: Spend time with 2-3 close friends or family, instead of pushing yourself into big social gatherings. 5. Disconnect From Social Media (Seriously) Social media can drain you faster than anything. Constant notifications and the pressure to stay connected can leave you feeling exhausted. So, it’s time for a digital detox. Take breaks to stay mentally fresh. CTRL+Z Tip: Set app limits on your phone—30 minutes a day on apps like Instagram or You-tube shorts is a good start. You don’t need to scroll all day. 6. Prioritize Your Mental Health Your social battery is about more than just physical energy, it’s mental and emotional too. Stress, anxiety, and burnout all contribute to draining your social energy. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and check in with yourself. CTRL+Z Tip: Start your day with a 5-minute mental health check. How are you feeling? This helps you manage your social energy better. 7. Recharge With Meaningful Activities The best way to recharge is with activities that make you feel at peace, whether it’s listening to music, journaling, walking, or hanging with your pet. These activities help replenish your energy in a way that scrolling through your feed never will. CTRL+Z Tip: Keep a list of activities that help you unwind. Whenever you need to recharge, pick one from your list. Final Thoughts Managing your social battery isn’t about overloading yourself or saying yes to everything, it’s about recognizing your limits, recharging when necessary, and setting boundaries. Protect your energy and take care of your mental health. The better you feel, the more you can show up for others. Recharge, reset, and remember: You’ve got this! No Comments Offline Mode About the Author Laxmi Bhatt I’m Laxmi, a content writer who turns caffeine into words and ideas into stories. If creativity had a speed limit, I’d be breaking it daily. Juggling words, dodging writer’s block, and occasionally questioning my life choices—one sentence at a time. Always typing, always snacking, never not thinking! Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse About the Author Laxmi Bhatt I’m Laxmi, a content writer who turns caffeine into words and ideas into stories. If creativity had a speed limit, I’d be breaking it daily. Juggling words, dodging writer’s block, and occasionally questioning my life choices—one sentence at a time. Always typing, always snacking, never not thinking! Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse

Inner Peace, Offline Mode, The Glow Up

Journaling as a Tool for Self-Discovery  

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Connect to the Inner You  Before you get overwhelmed by the what and how of the journaling process, I must tell you: You don’t have to have it figured out. Keeping a journal is like having a conversation with yourself. It helps you reconnect with your inner voice and be friends with yourself. When time feels like sand slipping through your hands, writing it down in your little diary can slow down the momentum around you and help you regain a sense of control in the world. Here’s how to get started: Select a Journal.  I have a ‘Hello Kitty’ journal (because who doesn’t love Hello Kitty?), but you can choose any journal of your preference. The idea is that it should motivate you to pick it up and write in it. Selecting a journal is a part of the process. In fact, you don’t have to buy a “writing” journal necessarily; you can select an art journal, scrapbook journal, or a blank page journal that you doodle in and sticker-ify yourself. If you are completely clueless, just go and peruse the diary/journal section at Target or Miniso and choose one that speaks to you. You don’t have to invest in a new diary for your journal—you can use whatever you already have, as long as you use it well! Select a technique.  Often, when we think about journaling, the question “What should I write?” comes hanging off its arm. While you can always switch up your styles, it helps to choose a technique at the start to maintain consistency. Select a time and place. Do I have to do it in the morning? No. Do I have to make coffee? No. It’s not about what you “have to” do. It’s about what you want to do. You can journal anywhere and anytime, if that works for you. However, as a newbie, it helps to choose a time and a safe corner to get you started. Personally, I journal at night to write about the happenings of my day. WHAT CTRL+Z SUGGESTS Every entry doesn’t have to be deep and soul-baring; often the act of writing about even mundane stuff is therapeutic in itself. Even if you think it’s not your cup of tea, I suggest you give it a try. Uncle Kafka journaled on his worst days, so you have no excuse. Most importantly, whether you’re an avid journaler or a newbie, remember to give yourself grace! It’s not a race; it’s a journey you take with yourself. No Comments Inner Peace,Offline Mode,The Glow Up About the Author Sneha A young writer that writes about things that matter most- identity, family, adulting, digital life (or the lack of it). Sometimes, I also indulge in making memes and writing poetry; the two spectrums of creativity. I also love music and engaging in different fandoms. Always been the girl with ‘too many’ opinions and will always be one. Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse About the Author Sneha A young writer that writes about things that matter most- identity, family, adulting, digital life (or the lack of it). Sometimes, I also indulge in making memes and writing poetry; the two spectrums of creativity. I also love music and engaging in different fandoms. Always been the girl with ‘too many’ opinions and will always be one. Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse

Offline Mode

How To Make Time For Reading Again 

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Bringing Back The Book Lover In You  Has reading books felt like an impossible task lately? Between the demands of the digital age and adult responsibilities, we have so many things constantly competing for our attention. It isn’t unusual for you to feel like there’s no time to pick up a book anymore. In this busy, fast-paced life, it seems like a ‘luxury’ to sit down and enjoy the comfort of a good book. But hobbies are like fuel to your soul, and it can be disheartening to lose that connection with your favorite pastime. Whether it’s your job or grad studies sucking the fun out of your life, here are a few tips and tricks that might help that bookworm resurface: START SMALL When you are surfing Netflix in your free time, you might start a movie instead of an 8-season sitcom. A similar strategy applies here. Pick up a graphic comic or a novella, something that can be read in a single sitting. Don’t be ashamed to go the short story route! You don’t have to read a novel. Maybe a book of poetry would do. Re-reading your favorites Sometimes rekindling our love for something requires being reminded of why we loved it in the first place. If you’re yearning to return to your used-to bliss, you could benefit from taking up an old favorite and rereading it with your mature eyes. Who knows, perhaps you will discover a new perspective. Be prepared to “DNF“ a book While it’s normal to feel accomplished on completing a book, it doesn’t have to be a necessity. Don’t pressure yourself into dread-reading a book just because you picked it up. If the book doesn’t get you excited, quit it. You can always come back to it if you want to. Rediscover your reading preferences We tend to fall out of habits as we grow up. You change as a person, so it is highly likely that your reading tastes have changed too. It can be like rediscovering a part of you. Be open to trying something new or unexpected. Always carry a book with you:  Whether it’s a physical copy or an ebook, carry your book with you everywhere. I, personally, always have a book on me. Read in waiting rooms, long queues, laundromats, and metro trains wherever possible. Reading a page here and there can keep the story moving without feeling like you have to commit to a full session. It can help your book feel like your companion. Creating a reading environment Make your environment a welcoming place for a good book. Make yourself a tea, plug in a calm music or white noise, turn on a lamp. Have a different space assigned for reading that’s not your bed. Try out audiobooks If making time for reading feels like a task, then don’t hesitate to give audiobooks a chance. This way, you can be cleaning your room and reading a book. Maybe it will be your thing! Make it fun Reading should be enjoyable. Find what interests you. You don’t have to read “adult” books or what you “should be reading”; you are allowed to just read whatever you want. Don’t limit yourself to one genre. What We Suggest Look, it’s not easy! If you can’t start at all, then just read anything: newsletters, magazines, articles, or blogs (like CTRL+Z). Reading anything is better than not reading at all. Your reading journey is uniquely yours, and you get to decide all the paths or carve out a new one. What’s the book you’re going to try out first?   Offline Mode About the Author Sneha A young writer that writes about things that matter most- identity, family, adulting, digital life (or the lack of it). Sometimes, I also indulge in making memes and writing poetry; the two spectrums of creativity. I also love music and engaging in different fandoms. Always been the girl with ‘too many’ opinions and will always be one. Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse About the Author Sneha A young writer that writes about things that matter most- identity, family, adulting, digital life (or the lack of it). Sometimes, I also indulge in making memes and writing poetry; the two spectrums of creativity. I also love music and engaging in different fandoms. Always been the girl with ‘too many’ opinions and will always be one. Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse

Offline Mode, The Digital Life

Social Media Detoxing Without the  FOMO

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Offline is the New Luxury Alright, let’s be real for a while. The idea of stepping away from social media sounds cool until you realize you might miss out on the latest gossip, that one viral meme, or the 100th post about your friend’s dog. But guess what? You can actually take a break without feeling like you’re missing out on life. Let’s figure out how to make it happen, stress-free. Step 1: Understand That FOMO is a Scam    FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is basically a trick your brain plays on you. Social media makes everything look like one big exciting movie, but in reality? Most of it is just people losing their best moments. That party you think was epic? Probably just a bunch of people staring at their phones. That influencer’s “perfect” life? Probably filtered to the max. The truth is, you’re not really missing out on anything major. Repeat after me: “Real life is happening outside of my phone”. Step 2: Make Your Detox Feel Good, Not Like a Punishment    Quitting social media can feel impossible, so don’t force it. Try these instead: Step 3: Fill Your Time With Fun Stuff    Let’s be honest—the hardest part of detoxing is figuring out what to do with your time. Instead of scrolling, try this: Step 4: Keep the Good, Ditch the Bad    Not all social media is bad. Maybe you love getting fashion updates or keeping up with news. That’s fine! Just make sure your feed works for you, not against you. Step 5: Come Back on Your Own Terms    After detoxing, decide how you actually want to use social media. Maybe you only check it on weekends. or you set a daily time limit. The goal is to be in control— don’t let social media control you. CTRL+Z Takeaways Taking a break from social media isn’t about disappearing from the world. It’s about actually living in it. trust me, things feel way more exciting when you’re not just watching them through a screen. Try it—you might just love it. No Comments Offline Mode,The Digital Life About the Author Shaik Noushed I’m Noushed. I write fun stories and simple words that everyone can enjoy. I turn ideas into easy-to-read tales that make people smile. I work with words every day, mixing facts with fun. I love to learn, write, and share my dreams with the world. Always kind and creative. Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse About the Author Shaik Noushed I’m Noushed. I write fun stories and simple words that everyone can enjoy. I turn ideas into easy-to-read tales that make people smile. I work with words every day, mixing facts with fun. I love to learn, write, and share my dreams with the world. Always kind and creative. Instagram X-twitter Quick links Menu Home Categories Z-Verse