Introduction:
My goals with a two-day abstinence from social media (and some technology) was to test myself to find other ways to spend my time and direct my focus. I also had the goal of understanding just exactly how social media and technology-dependence affects my day-to-day life and interactions with the world and other people. I decided on the following guidelines for my sabbatical:
* I was under no circumstances allowed to check any of my social media accounts. These included (but were not limited to) the following: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, and Youtube.
* I was to use my computer only for homework that needed to be completed.
* I was to limit the use of my phone. Texting and phone calls were only to be used in emergencies and to make plans with friends and family members. No superfluous conversations were to take place.
* I was to not watch any television or films and not listen to any podcasts.
* I allowed myself to check my email once a day and spend no more than 20 minutes reading and replying to emails.
Reactions of Others:
For the most part, my friends and family members were very understanding of my experiment in social media abstinence. In fact, one friend exclaimed that she wished she had the willpower to join me. Others agreed that taking a break from social media is an opportunity to recharge one’s batteries and focus on what’s important in one’s life. No one criticized or questioned the importance of the experiment.
My Experience:
I was able to successfully adhere to my sabbatical guidelines for 48 hours. I found that I became more mindful of how I had been using social media and technology to fill my time and occupy my mind. Now without those distractions, I had to face my days with a more direct attitude. My impulses to check my Twitter newsfeed and Facebook had to be turned into other, more productive impulses. While I generally try to make it to the gym 2-3 times a week, I found that I was motivated to get some gym time in on both of my sabbatical days. Going to the gym two days in a row is unheard of for me. I found that I was using exercise as a way to get out energy that I would otherwise be directing towards my social media accounts. Getting active, going to the gym, and making more attempts to get outside for walks were just a few ways that I started to feel less trapped by my social media shackles.
Take Time for What Matters:
I decided to also funnel this newfound energy I was harnessing from my sabbatical into being productive in other ways as well. I noticed that I had been using Youtube as a method of entertainment that was becoming a time-waster in my life. Instead of vegging out and watching my favourite Youtubers for 10 minutes here and 20 minutes there, I now decided to approach my time as a opportunity-filled rather than oriented towards “spacing out.” Some of the ways I decided to fill these now-open blocks of time were by reading, cooking, cleaning, and running errands. I found that I became more productive and more mindful of my home environment. I was able to do things that I had been dreading and putting off and even managed to read a book cover to cover (The Visible Man by Chuck Klosterman). Finding other ways to spend my time made me feel more in control of my time and energy.
The following are some of my main take-away lessons from my Social Media Sabbatical that I hope to be mindful of now that I’m reintroducing social media back into my life:
Making Sleep Sacred:
This sabbatical helped me notice that I have been using both my phone and laptop as ways to unwind before bed. However, if anything, my use of computer and phone screens and social media before bed had been anything but relaxing. Using technology at night while in bed actually has been contributing to my restlessness and avoidance of sleep. While I have not developed fully blown insomnia (yet) I have noticed that my technological distractions have contributed to me pushing my “bedtime” later and later as I become consumed with Twitter and Youtube. During my sabbatical, I found that I went to sleep around 11-11:30 rather than 1AM (which had been my averaged bedtime previously). Moving forward, I think that it will be important to place some limits of my evening use of technology. My goal is to not engage with technology for at least one hour prior to when I intend to sleep. Check out this informative video about how technology and social media can affect sleeping patterns:
Social Media-Related Stress:
I initially experienced some anxiety at the thought of “disconnecting” from my social media. In practice, however, I found that it came quite naturally. If anything, this experience helped me notice how much stress social media actually adds to my life. Social media-related stress exists in relation to checking in and keeping up to date with other people and the world. However, taking a break and disconnecting from social media helped me to realize the amount of useless information that I have been feeling obligated to feel up to date with. Consequently, before my sabbatical, I would even feel guilty about not keeping up to date and “informed.” While doing a bit of reading, I found the term “technostress” to come up several times, and found this to be an accurate term for what I was experiencing. However, there are other methods of keeping informed (like reading the newspaper and listening to the radio). The worry of being disconnected from truly earth-changing events through a sabbatical turned out to be unfounded. There are ways other than through social media that you can stay connected to the world through. Check out this article that further explores the idea of social media stress and the idea of FOMO (fear of missing out) that social media perpetuates. It touches on topics such as how FOMO and social media affect youth and how the stress and anxiety related to social media can turn into depression.
References:
Get Unplugged: A Technology Sabbath. (2013, December 11). Retrieved February 18, 2017, from http://www1.cbn.com/family/get-unplugged%3A-a-technology-sabbath
Strobel, T. (2011, September 07). A Magical Block of Time: Lessons Learned from my Digital Sabbatical. Retrieved February 18, 2017, from http://www.rowdykittens.com/2010/09/a-magical-block-of-time/
Take a Break From Technostress. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2017, from http://www.wellmont.org/Health-And-Wellness/Health-Library/?eid=14273&lang=1033
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