u/WolfieVonD

Straight out of highschool, I jumped into a fast paced construction industry where I never had time to just step back and relax. Even before that as a child, my parents restricted any computer or TV time, so what little time I did have was spent "second screening" and splitting my focus two or three ways. Personal time has always been fleeting and I spend the most of it trying to multitask leisure which meant I never actual could enjoy anything.

Now, nearly 15 years after starting my career and breaking my back, it's all paid off and I now manage in a cushy "dispatched" style job where I literally sit in my truck for 6 hours every day, waiting for something to happen (rarely does anything happen) and get paid for it.

I have more free time than ever before and I'm really struggling in my attempts to slow down. There are animes, movies, videogames, books, etc that I out aside because I know they'll require my full attention. Whenever I do continue splitting attention I end up going in autopilot and not absorbing any plot or artistic details. I hate it.

When I do force myself to stick to one thing, I****m fidgiting, legs bouncing, mine racing, and it's miserable

ive been checked for ADD/ADHD and been told I'm not (but I do have anxiety, although I don't think that's relevant) so I really think I can just learn how to stop

Is meditation the answer? Is complete cold turkey withdraw from everything and then slowly reintroducing stimulus the answer? I already go on daily bike rides with my son, monthly 6hr+ hikes, and when at home, don't do any screen time because of my toddler (no tv, phone, computer, anything. So I feel that I'm trying to "make up" for it on my free time at work, and falling into the same cycle.

Please help

My work schedule gives me Fridays or Mondays off and, whenever I'm able to sleep in on a weekday with no alarms or commitments, I still wake up suddenly in a blind sweaty panic.

The first and only thought I have is "IS IT STREET SWEEPING DAY!?"

Before I'm able to check my surroundings, ground myself and relax. I'm free from that parking nightmare. I have a garage now.

When does the fear go away?

I recently purchased a baby monitor which has a little USB CarPlay dongle which connects to the camera to stream wirelessly. However, when in use, my entire car's audio system is hijacked (can't even use AUX). I'd like to have music.

Im hoping to find a standalone screen dedicated for the baby monitor, but it must accept the USB CarPlay dongle. All of the ones I have found are wireless connection only.

Alternatively, I could use an adapter which will wirelessly project the dongle to a screen if no USB compatible screens exist. If anyone knows of such an adapter.