"It's not you; it's me...."
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I used that line when breaking up in my 20s. Aaaannnnd how many times the very same line was said to me.
For weeks I've been debating whether or not I should shut down my Etsy account and ditch my Facebook account. So, 30 days ago, I quit FB. Why? And how am I doing? Read below -
Why
Reason #1 - Time. On average, I was spending 4.23 hours a day on FB! That's a part-time job! That's 20 hours; I could be putting into working out, cooking a healthy meal, grabbing coffee with friends, drawing, resting, insert **whatever activity here.**
How did I get this number? I installed a time tracker app on my phone. The app gathered data about how much time I spent looking at websites and social media. In full transparency, I did track my time over six months, and this was the average! Before I installed this app, I could never figure out why I was running out of time. (Data is an eye-opener.)
Reason #2 - My mental health was affected. (This really should have been the only reason I ever needed.)
How am I?
Ummmmmm, the first few weeks, it was H A R D!!!!!!!! It felt like it was withdrawing, and I am not wrong about the withdrawal from social media, it's real! Check out the following articles:
By a New York University Cyberpsychologist - A Week Without Using Social Media
Mental Health Journal - Quit Social Media
What about other social media???
I still have a Pinterest account. I don't view that as an issue because I use it during work how and it's legit need as part of my creative process brainstorming fresh designs.
Instagram - still on there. I enjoy this platform. It feeds my soul, and I spend an average of 10 minutes a day scrolling through photos and posting pictures.
Twitter - It's open, but I never use it.
How did I make my exit?
There was no announcement post saying that I was deleting my FB account. I got up one day and deleted it. I've individually told people via e-mail, text, or over coffee.
What do I miss?
The private creative groups I was a member. I miss seeing photos of my friends, their kids, some of my family members; however, neither reasons is strong enough to make me want to rejoin.
What I wish I'd known before I’d done it?
Untether linked accounts to FB. I was surprised at how many accounts I just linked to FB because I did not want to come up with a password.
Now... I keep moving forward, planting seeds of creativity, friendship, and family. Now I can listen to my inner voice about other steps to take in redefining this new decade. The decade of social media was fun; however, it's better to exit before the coach turns into a pumpkin.
Yours in creativity,
Heather
