One of the most striking things about the Making Things Happen conference was when I had to turn in my phone. Literally. I placed my phone in a box. It was the moment I feared the most, but it was also something I was really looking forward to doing. Do you know what happened while I was without my phone? I didn’t think about social media. And it awesome.
With that being said, I think Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are three of the coolest sites ever. I love keeping in touch with friends and family and having the ability to connect with brands and bloggers. It makes my day when someone new likes my Facebook page, and I always smile when my Instagram favorites post a new photo. I love social media, but at times I find myself scrolling through Facebook or Twitter when I should really be outside enjoying the sunshine or reading (anything, quite honestly, that does not involve a screen).
As great as I think these sites are, I try to revert back to my social media free day at MTH as often as possible just to recharge and fully focus. That’s exactly what I did yesterday. I didn’t once check Twitter, and I never signed onto Facebook. I may or may not have gone onto Instagram. ; ) Instead, I spent my ideal morning reading my current favorite book and discovering awesome articles on my new favorite site, The Everygirl (I could read the career profiles all day. People are the coolest!). I went running last night without a thought about Facebook statuses, and then I did what I’ve wanted to do for a while: read in my backyard as the sun was setting. Complete relaxation and total rejuvenation.
Do I miss social media when I’m not on it? Sometimes, but one of my best friends deleted her account while we were in college. It blew my mind. I’m not kidding. She says she misses seeing photos, but she loves receiving texts and calls with updates instead. Amen, sister. Real talk should win a lot more often. Time away from social media makes me love the positives about it, but it makes me mindful about the other ways I love spending my time.
So, I challenge you: turn off your social media and focus on what truly matters to you for a day or an entire weekend. What would you love to do more often (or for the first time)? Go do it!
The Everygirl, yes! Also, thanks for the inspiration. I plan on going All day tomorrow through Sunday evening without checking any social media. We’ll see if I can really do it. ;)
I left my cell phone home today! Did I go back home to get it? I thought to myself “you can do it…just one hour at a time”. Then I turned the car around and went home to get my phone. I caved! Maybe next time I’ll do better.