30 Days Away From The Facebook Feed
It's been a whole month since I deleted the Facebook app from my phone.
This is not the first time I've deleted the app, but it's the longest I've gone without eventually re-installing it. (I still have my account and use it for business.) I think this is a permanent change since I've found things to replace it with.
What's really surprised me is the change in how I feel after stepping away from the Facebook feed:
I'm thinking more creatively, and feeling inspired to create things again. And not just inspired, but consistently creating again.
My stress levels have felt different, especially in the last two weeks. I'm calmer, more grounded, centered. Nothing has really changed in my life. I still have the same pressures and demands of owning a small business, but the ambient stress that leaks into my evenings (prime Facebook doom scrolling time) is greatly reduced.
Also in the last two weeks, I'm sleeping better.
And I feel more mentally clear. As an adult with attention issues, I find myself able to pause and be present more. I've made it very difficult to use Facebook on my phone, so now when I'm bored, I reach for my Kindle, or a notebook.
Reclaiming time. I haven't measured this. I definitely did not want to know how many hours I spent each day on social media, so I refused to check this in Screen Time. But I can feel a sense of time being added to my day. Or perhaps time added to my attention.
Do I still struggle with attention span? Yes. I admit I still find it challenging to read more than one article or one chapter without a restlessness to move on to the next thing. YouTube is a strong pull for me right now -- especially in the evenings. (That's the next one to work on!)
But 30 days in, I'm happy with the results of my 30-days-and-counting Facebook feed fast.
Boredom has become an invitation to create, or intentionally consume information that I've curated myself.
But I’ve also realized how much social media had become intertwined with my sense of connection and participation. And this is something I'm both wrestling with and figuring out...