Update-100 days off social media

Awhile back I wrote a blog post about my 7-day social media cleanse. I’m happy to report that here we are 93 days later and I am still off social media. Likewise, my overall screen time on any device is typically under 3 hours a day, and that includes what I do for work.  

Why did I decide to keep it going? Probably for the same reason I started the cleanse in the first place, because it was not adding value to my life and was likely detracting from it.

My reminder/motto has been, Create, Don’t Consume. For me, that means sharing pictures occasionally on my personal page and, for work, creating posts instead of sharing other people’s work. On both ends, it has meant no scrolling.

I can honestly say that I don’t miss anything about being off social media. Times when I have gone on to post things for work purposes and happen to see certain things, I find myself annoyed and irritable, usually when I see strangers blasting other strangers. It’s amazing how normalized hostility and constant commentary have become online.  Being away from it for the last several months has made me more sensitive to it, which honestly is how it should be.  Sadly, I think we have become numb and immune to negativity. 

What I can also say is that even after nearly 100 days, there is still an addictive quality about this little 6 inch device. I am still picking up my phone and checking it far more than I need to. The average American picks up their phone up to 150 times a day. That’s at least every 10 minutes during our waking hours and yes, I have been right up there with the average American.

It is not conscious, but habitual and addictive in nature. Because I’m not checking social media, I’m checking other random and senseless things, like the weather app multiple times a day. Yes, I know it sounds silly, but it’s what is happening. So in a sense, while I have lessened my overall screen time and mindless scrolling, I have replaced Instagram with The Weather Channel. If you need to know the forecast, I’ve got you covered.

What this has shown me is that the issue was never just social media itself, but the conditioning to constantly seek stimulation, distraction, or information. Silence and stillness are something many of us have lost tolerance for.

I’m aware of what I’m doing but awareness alone does not change behavior. 

 How do I change it? Just like changing any other unconscious or undesired behavior, I bring it to my consciousness (check), resist the urge when I go to reach for the phone (work in progress), and replace the behavior with something else (also work in progress). Sometimes that means reading, going outside, sitting in silence for a few minutes, or simply allowing myself to be still, quiet or bored without immediately reaching for stimulation.

I’ll report back in the next 100 days with hopefully fewer pickups and a continued more present life.