Have you ever caught yourself looking at your phone, maybe Facebook, and you don’t remember when exactly you picked up your phone. It is almost like when you are driving and all of a sudden you think “Where the hell am I?”. I’ll just go on Facebook to check if anyone has commented on the super cute photo of my children I posted, only to realize I’ve spent 30 minutes looking at funny animal videos. You know the dog videos where the dog’s communication is translated for you at the bottom of the screen, “Hey Hooman, gib me bacon”. Facebook knows how to keep my attention, and that’s the point. During my blog I’ll be referring to Facebook often, but you can substitute any addictive social media, gaming apps, etc.
During Lent season, a few years ago, I decided to give up Facebook. At first I had a hard time staying off of it because I would automatically “touch” on Facebook after checking my email or the news. I ended up moving the app so I couldn’t use muscle memory to open it. Then after a while it got easier and easier. I replaced the time I had spent on Facebook with reading, talking to my kids more, or just sitting to contemplate. It was strange, but it felt like a big relief to not know everything about everyone, and everyone’s opinion on everything. Once Easter was over I could get back on, but I almost didn’t want too. After a few days I would check it out, but only for a few minutes. Then after a few weeks of that I was back on it again just like before, mindlessly scrolling through my feed.
Every year since, I take a social media break during Lent and a month in the fall. But, eventually I ended up getting an Instagram account, then YouTube. I refuse to get on Twitter though, I felt I was getting plenty of social media through my other accounts. I came across digital minimalism when I was checking out minimalism on YouTube. Cal Newport’s Ted Talk came up on my feed, see link below.
I checked out his book, “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a focused life in a noisy world“. Although he has never had a social media account, I still thought he had an effective argument on why you should give up your social media. Or at least approach it with intention and forethought. He goes even further than social media, and suggests we need to rebuild our relationship to technology from scratch. He proposes taking a 30 day break from technology and focusing on hobbies and activities that are worthwhile and more fulfilling. Then after the 30 days, you can start bringing in (or don’t bring in) apps/technology that are purposeful in your life. I’m not going to give a full review of the book, but do recommend checking it out.
I didn’t jump on his advice right away, but filed it under “good info for later”. Then a few months ago, I was scrolling through my feed and was just sick of it all of a sudden. My feed was filled with negative posts about COVID-19, left vs right, etc., along with advertisements curated just for me. I’m not against being aware of what’s going on in the world, but if I immerse myself in it and marinate… That is a recipe for anxiety, panic and depression. It felt as if the world was falling apart, but when I looked physically around me, it wasn’t that bad…
That day I decided to delete most of my apps. Yep, I took Facebook completely off my phone. I don’t remember my password so now there was an inconvenient boundary from getting into it. I went further, deleted all my news apps, YouTube, games, Audible, Netflix, shopping apps, etc. Only kept apps for the weather, maps, bible, banking, Kindle and MapMyRun. For the first two weeks of this, I can’t tell you how many times I checked the weather and my checking account. I could give you an hourly update on temperatures, and if anyone fraudulently used my checking account I would know about it immediately. It took awhile for me not to automatically pick up my phone. Did I do the full 30 days? Well I put Audible back on my phone, but only listened to it in my car. After 30 days, I put YouTube back on my phone. At the start my phone probably had about 25 total apps (I’m including settings, app store, camera…everything). I’ve added back 22 apps, but none of that is social media.
Yep, I have been without social media since June 4, and I’m still a functional human being.
Now it’s late August, so what have I done with myself? Apart from spending time with family, I started a blog (this very one you are reading). I’m still using technology, but doing it to create, not to consume. I have found that I enjoy writing and look forward to it during my free time. Maybe I’m not the best at it, but the more I do it, the better I will get.
I do watch YouTube videos and have found that some of the content produced can be helpful or entertaining. You sure can get lost in it like anything else; I try not to look at the recommended feed, only at the channels that I subscribe to. I’ve made a couple of videos as well, but don’t expect to become a big influencer. I do have a fear of public speaking, so I’m hoping that practice in front of a camera will help. Check out my video on digital minimalism below.
Finally, technology isn’t going anywhere, it’s only going to expand and get bigger. But, we don’t have to be helpless bystanders just scrolling through a never-ending feed.
Writings from behind the Pine Curtain 