I spent the last week without social media. I knew it was going to be a busy week at work with a huge deadline on Friday. So what better time for an experiment to see what effect avoiding social media would have on my focus and time management.
I did make 1 exception for Facebook, but that’s because the only thing I ever use it for is a group my neighborhood uses for communication. Usually, the posts are asking for recommendations for a landscaper, or questions about local schools. All of those are things I could easily skip for a week, but occasionally there will be a post about a suspicious person or vehicles being broken into. So I figured it best to still check the notifications from that one group.
That left the social media apps I do typically use. Instagram, Twitter, and Tik-Tok. Those last 2 are definitely the ones that eat up too much of my time. They all have their own benefits, but it’s so easy to get addicted and use them too often, or at the wrong times.
The first thing I did was move the folder with those apps to the last page of my iPhone. One of my goals for the week was to spend more time reading long-form articles instead of tweets and funny tiktoks. So in the spot where that folder had been, I moved the Instapaper app that I use for reading articles.
Monday
It didn’t take long for me to realize just how often I reach for social media. Muscle memory is a crazy thing. It reminded me of many years ago when I was a smoker. I would be driving down the road with my window cracked, smoking a cigarette, but I couldn’t remember deciding to smoke, rolling down the window, or lighting it.
A similar thing was happening with my phone. I would find myself staring at Instapaper, my brain confused that I wasn’t seeing my social media folder, not even remembering the decision to open it. I expected this, but was still surprised by just how often it happened throughout the day.
Tuesday
By Tuesday I was already feeling like I was gaining time back in my day without losing anything. I also began to notice a recurring theme. Most of the time when I reached for Twitter or TikTok, it wasn’t because I was wondering what was happening in the world. It was when I hit some kind of a block with what I was working on. Times when I needed to think through a problem, or after realizing a task was going to be more complex than I thought. Those were the times I was reaching for a distraction instead of pushing through.
However, there are times, especially when writing code, that a distraction is actually a good thing. It can force me to step back from a problem long enough to come up with a solution. But there are far more constructive ways to distract myself. I spent this past week forcing myself to push through problems when that’s what was needed, and finding more constructive distractions when necessary.
Wednesday
As I approached the halfway point I was feeling less stressed, making great progress on my work deadline, and passing some huge milestones on a personal project I’ve been working on for a few months. When I hit a roadblock, I wasn’t instinctively reaching for social media nearly as often. Other times when I would mindlessly scroll through Twitter, like while eating lunch, I was reading articles instead.
Thursday
One of my goals for this week was to spend more time writing, specifically journaling. I’ve been working on being more consistent with that since the start of the year. Part of my journal entry for Thursday sums it up pretty well:
“The amount of things I can accomplish when I don’t have twitter and other social media to distract me is mind-blowing.”
Friday-Sunday
Friday was spent hyperfocused on meeting my work deadline and packing for a weekend camping trip. And that camping trip was at a campground without cell service, so staying off social media was super easy. I spent the weekend reading my kindle like I usually do when camping.
Conclusion
After 7 days of no social media, I ended up pretty much where I expected. With fewer distractions, more focus, and less stress. It’s also fascinating to look at the difference a few days can make. The number of times I picked up my phone out of habit on Monday was far more than on Sunday.
But I also noticed the things I was missing. Most of the people I know don’t live near me and the primary way we stay in touch is through social media. I also have very little idea what current events occurred over the past week. In some ways that’s good, because I am not a world leader so I don’t need to be constantly updated on everything happening in the world. But I do like to have at least some knowledge of current events.
There are great uses for social media. Twitter keeps me in touch with people 2500 miles away, tracks current events, and gives me a place to vent (sorry). The number of recipes, life hacks, dad jokes, and random facts I’ve learned on TikTok is amazing. Instagram has always been my outlet for positivity, researching hiking trails and campgrounds, and sharing my love of the outdoors.
Like so many things in life, the answer for me seems to be moderation. My plan going forward is to go back to using social media, but on a more limited basis than before. One idea I have is to set aside 2 or 3 times during the day that will be when I check social media apps. Outside of those times, I will treat them the way I have for the past week. Now that I know the benefits of going without, hopefully I can continue to limit my usage and keep my newfound focus.