Well, it’s been a little more than a minute. I’m the Queen of Procrastination, and that’s a fact. It’s been hard to get back into blogging again. There are always excuses for putting a delay on making a post–I’m not feeling well, I’m not inspired, or, to be completely honest, I simply wanted to escape into my own head for a while to figure out some things. All of those excuses are real and I’ve spent my time away wisely–enjoying moments with family, redirecting my personal goals and dreams, and resting while binging on The Handmaid’s Tale, Orange is the New Black, and old E.R. episodes from back in the day.
During my ‘down time,’ I took a break from participating in most social media and watching YouTube. The surprising effect has been extremely positive. I’ve found alternative artistic outlets to express myself and have become much more calm and relaxed. I haven’t been getting the sensory overload from political opinions and the arguments which inevitably follow. I’m no longer a part of the repeated requests to join someone’s Patreon page, others trying to sell me stuff, or call outs to help with funding with this or that–it’s exhausting being a marketing target. I haven’t been inundated with inspiring memes with misspelled words, photos of abused animals and children, and ‘like and share if you love God’ posts. My Facebook page is full of these things, though–some I have personally shared–but taking a break from it all has given me a unique and fresh perspective. Not only is social media a major time suck that cripples my productivity, but it drains my positive and creative energy. All of the social platforms have a time, place, and purpose in our world today, but that doesn’t mean I have to spend hours and hours in the vacuum it creates. My goal is to simply keep up with the activities of my family and friends, and I’m experimenting with limiting my exposure per day. We’ll see how it goes. After all, those precious minutes are ones I’ll never get back, so I have to spend them wisely.
As a result, I’m currently hanging out catching up on my beloved blogging friends (I’m sorry I’m so behind), writing off-grid for my own personal goals, spending face-to-face time with friends and family, doing some artsy stuff, and actually living our full-time RV life to the fullest.
Have you limited your social media time? Is it just the introverted me that finds it draining, or am I just being snarky? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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What a good plan!
Miriam
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I could not have written a more apt post, Sis! I also find social media extremely draining! In this age of political unrest and hurt feelings, I find it best to just stay away. The vacuum always gets me though, as I am curious about what my friends and family are up to. It does though, it stuns my creativity and I haven’t written as much lately as I feel I should be writing. I need to set aside some time, I tell myself but time management has never been one of my strong suites, aside from at work. Just wanted to chime in here. Great write as usual. Love and miss ya sister!
I am right there with you girl. For the past 2 months I have been seriously thinking of getting off Facebook for exactly the same reasons you have so eloquently penned in your last Random Bits of Trial and Error. My husband lives a very happy and fulfilling life never ever even entertaining the thought of having any form of social media in his life, quite the contrary. Patrick is and always will be an email and texting type of guy. Because of social media we as individuals have lost one of the most important things in life and that is our privacy. There simply is “too much” information out there running the gamut of hatefulness towards one’s political choices, one’s personal health concerns and the list goes on and on. The irony of the situation for me is I too after being an extrovert for many years have become a lot more introverted and quieter in my day to day life choices.
Anyway great article as usual and so happy to hear you and yours are doing well.
Happy trails,
Sherise
Sent from my iPad
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You are truly a sister from another mister. I swear you are in my head while writing. Love you.
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So good to hear from you! Social media can be such a time suck. I’m glad your break from it gave you time for face to face and fun. We could all use more of that. What kind of artsy stuff have you been doing?
Join the club! I, too have been binge watching shows and entertaining family, while just barely keeping my finger on the pulse of my blogging friends. At some point, you do have to “clean house”. I too, am tired of social media abuse. It would be nice if it were used to uplift rather than tear down. My FB is limited to family and friends that do not share their politics on my timeline. I posted that I did not care or want any of that on my page and everyone has respected that. Yea! Well, welcome back!!
Great to hear from you, Dawn! It can never hurt to take a break from social media. Hope you’re doing well and enjoying your travels.
This post should go viral. Contradiction of thought, perhaps, but a very necessary message.
Great to hear from you Dawn and glad to know that it was just a break and not that something serious happened while you were traveling! I was starting to get just a bit worried. Totally agree with you about the time drain. I do enjoy my blog and following my blogging friends but I have seriously cut down on Facebook and limit my blog reading to only those that are truly interesting/relevant to me. I was missing your beautiful pictures!
Heyyyyyyyy!!! I was JUST saying to Kevin the other day that you hadn’t posted in a long while and I was wondering where you were. Glad you’re back! As for social media, I have found that Instagram consistently makes me happy whereas Facebook usually annoys me, BUT I connect with a lot of friends and family who are only on there and not Instagram. So, if I want to know what’s going on in a lot of people’s lives relatively easily, it’s the best option. I do think FB has improved since their whole reboot. I see very few political posts/arguments these days. Possibly because of their new algorithm, but possibly because I never engage in any of it. And yeah, it would be super duper awesome if people would stop trying to sell me crap. 😂Anyway, glad you’re back!
I also waxed nostalgic watching ER. The very best, imo, med show.
I was so glad to see you back, because I was talking about you to my brother and his wife yesterday. That made me miss you more. Blogging takes up more of my time than I like to admit, but I love it. I gladly ignore half of the things I see on Facebook. If there are political things, I refuse to read them. Why people have to be so nasty is beyond me. I long for the gentle manners of my youth, where people had polite discussions without rancor.
Imagine my surprise when I saw your email today! It’s so good to see your post. I do understand what you mean about all of the social media. I choose to look at the positive side of life and try to bypass the negative. I look forward to more thought provoking blog posts from you and your beautiful pictures. I’m glad you are back.
Welcome back!
A break from social media is always refreshing. It’s not often I do, but I do take a day here and there where I’m not active. It can be draining….
I think that’s kind of where I’m at, too. My enthusiasm is also being hampered by coming off the large dose of prednisone I’ve been on. It’s really zapping my energy. Being on here just feels draining sometimes. You’re making a wise choice there!
Awesome! I’m right there with you. Taking breaks from social media is essential for my creative groove. 😉
Kudos to you for refocusing. I wondered about your disappearance.
There’s too much social media and not enough of me. I limit what I participate in. Blogging is my favorite. I have blog buddies from all around the world. ;0)
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