Life, In Digital

Last month I decided to take a break from social media. I bid my social world “adieu” on Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare, Pinterest, Twitter, and Vine and turned my focus to offline interactions.

As I thought about giving up social media for a while, I also thought about what I would be able to do with all of this new “thought space”:

• journal
• practice my handwriting
• read (books & Bible)
• think
• call people to catch up
• complete tasks on my to-do list
• pray

I wanted to get away from always needing to hold my cell phone. I wanted to know what time it was without looking at my phone…maybe I’d use my watch as more than just an accessory. I wanted to walk from my desk to the bathroom without having to take my phone with me. I wanted to sit and think instead of mindlessly scroll, post, like, share, scroll, post, like, share… I wanted to need to call people to catch up on life instead of leaning on a Facebook relationship. I wanted to write three sentences without my hand cramping up. I wanted to read my handwriting. I wanted to serve God and serve Him in private instead of seeking likes and comments for my good works. I wanted to clearly communicate my thoughts instead of only speaking one “post” at a time. I wanted to stop thinking in 140 characters. I wanted to be more focused and deliberate. I wanted to create instead of just comment on life.

I don’t belive that social media is bad. There is a lot of good that comes from being constantly connected to your friends and loved ones. There is a lot of good in the collective thoughts of a community. There is a lot of good in the quick and efficient communication. However, I do believe that social media has made me weaker in other areas. The greatest impact has been on my imagination. I used to sit and entertain myself with my thoughts, but I am evermore preoccupied with scrolling, posting, updating, etc. My social media apps on my iPhone are my go-to entertainment and it is rarely high-quality time spent.

After a week and a half without Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, Foursquare, or Pinterest…I’m back! Taking time away from social media has given me an opportunity to reevaluate the content I’m creating and the time I spend doing it. You’ll be happy (I hope) to know that Pinterest made the cut. See ya around!

I have since re-joined the social world, but I am more aware of how I spend my time, who I “follow”, and what I say. The key, I’ve found, is to be deliberate in how you use social media and to re-learn how to communicate outside of a status update.

Have you ever taken a break from social media? What did you learn from it? What did you miss about your social accounts?

Tags: Bible, collective thoughts, efficient communication, Facebook, Foursquare, Handwriting, Instagram, iphone, Pinterest, Social Media, thought space, Twitter, Vine