I did a thing. I deactivated Facebook and Instagram. Truth be told, I’ve wanted to for a while.
I know technology isn’t great for me. In particular, I find that it agitates me. I figure cutting back on social media could make me more productive. But I also find it annoying to talk to someone who’s otherwise distracted. This makes me worry especially about using my phone too much around my kids.
I recently saw some terrifying statistics about adults reaching for their phones upwards of 300 times a day. Even as often as every three minutes! But until this week, I never could find the courage to kick the habit.
Monday, without thinking twice, I deactivated it all.
There’s a reason so many of us are struggling with excessive stress, depression and anxiety. I’ll speak for myself in saying that news and hype are stressful enough. But the inevitable comparison that happens combined with seeing unkind posts and relentless online banter is exhausting. Social media leaves me feeling depleted and discouraged, not just about the events taking place in the world, but about the behavior of so many people in it.
Today, I went outside with my kids. I sat in the grass with the baby. We picked out good looking sticks and rocks. My big kid played with a ball. The sun was shining. The trees gave us shade. The man cleaning our neighbor’s pool was friendly and waved hello.
Social media has its place, and I miss seeing what my friends are up to. But I’m not entirely sure the benefits of being online outweigh the drawbacks. I don’t like the endless negativity I consume while simultaneously missing out on the good small things right in front of me.
What about you? How does social media make you feel when you’re on it and after? Does it help or does it hurt?
