GoKawiilNina Raemont/ZDNET
Save $25: Amazon is discounting the Kindle base model by $25, cutting the price from $110 to $85, during Amazon Prime Day.
I'm on my phone too much these days, and I've tried to understand why I am so drawn to using it right as I wake up -- or within the first few hours of my day -- despite the fact I don't like when I use it. Not only is it majorly addictive, but it's also an entertaining device that is normally within a one-foot radius of wherever I happen to be. It's stupidly convenient to pull out when I'm distracted, anxious, or bored and start scrolling away.
Could the defense against one entertaining, addictive device be... another less addictive, less entertaining device? Yes, I'm talking about my Kindle.
Also: Prime Day top deals: Live updates
I've begun renting more ebooks from my public library, downloading them on my Kindle, and keeping the e-reader close by, so I reach for it just as often as I would my phone. You might say, "Nina, you could do this with a book as well," but a book rarely fits in my small jeans or coat pocket -- and my base model Kindle does. This makes it an essential travel companion, especially during the action-packed summer months, when I'm visiting family, taking work trips, or spending time upstate. I notice that I read more books when my Kindle is close by, and summer is the perfect time to fit more novels in to my busy schedule.
Also: Want free ebooks? These 10 sites offer thousands of great reads
To keep doomscrolling at bay, I really recommend the unstoppable duo of Kindle and a rented ebook. Of course, you could also buy them if you like to get ebooks on demand, but you can save loads of money renting from your local library or downloading free ebooks on dedicated websites. That keeps the cost (discounted during Amazon Prime Day) of a Kindle low -- or comparatively lower than a $100 Kindle and several $5 or $10 ebooks.
I've started pulling out my Kindle on my morning and afternoon commutes to and from the office instead of my phone. I've found that reading before and after work not only improves my mood (since I'm not seeing distracting, rage-baity content bright and early), but it also keeps my focus sharper throughout the day and calms me down after a busy workday. It's much easier to pull out a Kindle from my pocket than it is to dig through my work bag for a book.
Also: I bricked my iPhone to prevent doomscrolling - and accidentally fixed my life
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