I meet and talk to my friends in real life. I do things and enjoy them without thinking about how good they will look on my Instagram Story. It's liberating in a way I never thought it could be, and at least for now, I love the fact that I'm living my life for my own enjoyment, and not for social media.
By Charlotte Grainger
In December 2017, Facebook's own researchers publicly questioned whether the site could potentially pose a threat to the public's mental health. I had been debating whether or not to give up on the platform for months. But this news was decisive for me. I abandoned social media.
And the reason was very simple. In recent years, there have been many studies on how a break from social media can significantly improve your well-being. I patiently read them and took note of each one I came across, and each time I became a little more disappointed and somewhat more skeptical about its effects.
At the same time, I had noticed that the ways I used social media had suddenly become an integral part of my existence. And this was something I had never considered. So, after reading what the Facebook researchers were saying, I decided to do the only thing I could.
I did everything I could to free myself from all of this. I not only deactivated my Facebook account, but also my Instagram account. Here's why this move was 100 percent the best way to start the new year.
I have less reason to procrastinate on the things that matter to me.
I am a freelancer. So if I don’t work, I don’t get paid. So, it’s fair to say that Facebook and Instagram were negatively impacting my work, and I dare say my income as well. My typical workday was more or less like this: coffee, check emails, start writing, check Facebook, answer phone calls, check Instagram, continue writing, check Facebook…
So every work-related task was delayed due to my engagement with social media. Now that my accounts are no longer accessible, I can no longer control them. So I get a lot more work done, and I have time to do additional work, such as answering more emails, and talking to potential clients. However, it is a difficult experience, as the desire to go back again appears to me several times a day, which could be a sign that I was addicted to using social media.
I don't care what other people do.
I'm ashamed to admit that I was very interested in knowing what everyone in my social circle was doing. Even if they were just meeting for coffee or checking in at the movies, I would wonder why I wasn't on the guest list, and I would start to feel really worried about everyone.
Ignorance really is bliss. But I wish I had discovered this sooner. When you're not with them, there's nothing particularly useful or productive about knowing what people are doing. Right now, I have no idea what the people I know are doing. And you know what? I don't even care. I'm minding my own business, and so are they. Didn't social life exist before social media?
People who matter to me still contact me.
My biggest fear about permanently disconnecting from social media was that I would have no way to stay in touch with the people around me. From events to groups, Facebook offers a very easy way to stay in touch with your social circles. I had the impression that if I no longer had a profile, I would have a hard time maintaining my relationships, and I would be constantly out of the figurative loop. Thankfully, nothing could be further from the truth. My friends and family members who matter most to me adapted very quickly to the change.
Since I didn’t get to make the big “I’m leaving Facebook!” announcement, some of them contacted me pretty quickly to find out what had happened to me. In the last two weeks, I’ve had more texts and messages than ever before. The truth is, Facebook doesn’t make friends; it’s just a platform. When you leave it, the people who matter will still be there.
The invitations I receive are more sincere.
How many Facebook invitations I used to receive! Being invited to endless clubs and groups every day was exhausting. Most of the time, these invitations were not sincere requests for my participation, but a way to increase the numbers on the event pages or to sell tickets ahead of time. Today, I have no shortage of invitations to various activities, and they are even completely sincere.
I feel free to live in the moment.
I hadn't realized it before, but in some ways, I was living my life for social media. When I went out to eat with friends or family, I would always pause to take a picture of the fast food we were eating to post on Instagram. Whenever I met someone to chat with, I would use Facebook to check in on them at whatever bar or cafe we were frequenting.
My Instagram story was constantly full of videos and photos documenting my daily life. It was an addiction, an illness. Now that I'm no longer forced to update my life, things are a little different. I sit down to eat a meal somewhere, and I see what the plate looks like for myself, and no one else.
I meet and talk to my friends for real. I do things and enjoy them without thinking about how good they will look on my Instagram Story. It's liberating in a way I never thought it could be, and at least for now, I love the fact that I'm living my life for my own enjoyment, and not for social media. / “Reader Digest” – Bota.al
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