August 06

Vacationing from Social Media

Posted by on August 6, 2013 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

By Francesca Prach

Online users, addicts and professionals are suffering from social media overload from sites like Facebook and Twitter. The majority of Internet gurus are searching and in some serious need for a break in social media activity.

A study by MyLife.com reveals data of online users becoming overwhelmed by the increasing number of social networks and email accounts present and managed; more than 50% surveyed (2,000 adults 18 and older) have either taken or have considered taking a “vacation” from social networking in the past year.

Irrelevant updates and a lack of time are the top reasons for wanting a break from Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or any other social network.

In spite of their desire for a break, many social networkers are skeptical of what would happen if they were to indeed step away from the world of social media for a while. Nearly 60% surveyed experience anxiety as a result of missing an important event or status update if they don’t monitor their social networks ritually or daily.

According to a mother’s perspective, Tracy Dowdy’s blog on a break from social media states her 10 reasons why taking a break from social media will benefit you in the long run:

1. You’ll gain perspective. Nothing encourages narcissism more than social media. It’s important to remember our online persona is as carefully crafted as any celebrity’s. We may not be paying a publicist, but we are just as meticulous in putting only our best selves out there. No one’s life is as perfect as our Facebook profiles suggest.

2. Did I mention you’ll gain perspective? Sometimes it’s good to be reminded that the world keeps on moving even when we’re not online. We’ve become a culture that feels the need to document every meal, every Starbucks order, every outfit, every moment of every day. Let’s face it, none of us is that important.

3. Escape the popularity contest. Ever spent more than a minute drafting your Facebook status or allowed your lunch to get cold as you craft the perfect Instagram snap of your meal? We don’t always need to be the funniest, cleverest, or most creative person out there.

4. Boost your self-esteem. Taking a break gives you the opportunity to look around and see how good things really are. Going through life by constantly comparing oneself to others is a blueprint for dissatisfaction. There will always be someone thinner, wittier, better dressed … and that’s okay.

5. Boost your overall happiness. Studies have shown social media has a negative impact on our general happiness as well as our self-esteem. That’s not a surprise to anyone who’s browsed a friend’s vacation pictures while stuck in a cubicle at work, or looked at Instagram photos of fabulous meals while standing at the kitchen sink eating a microwavable dinner. Social media has morphed into a web based popularity contest and we shouldn’t measure our success or gain happiness through “likes” and comments.

6. Take back your power. By taking a break, you take back ownership of your happiness. When you fret over the number of “likes” on a photo or the number of birthday wishes you receive, you’ve given others – sometimes total strangers – power over you. At the risk of sounding like a late-night infomercial, take it back. That power belongs to you.

7. You’ll be reminded of who is important. My family is scattered between two countries and across thousands of miles, so social media is invaluable in keeping us connected. But, it’s easy to spend so much time on those we’re connected to online that we neglect those right in front of us. Be with who you’re with. That may be the most poorly constructed sentence in the English language, but I mean it. Shift your focus to the people who are in the room, in your house.

8. Time Management. Keeping up with social media takes time. Most of us would be surprised how much time we waste. Don’t believe me? Stop and think about how many times a day you check in. Time management tools like RescueTime or Klok can be eye-opening about how productive you really are.

9. Boost productivity not just self-esteem. Now that you’ve got all that time back, you can sit back, be creative, and reflect. Social media is all about what’s new, what’s trending. Having freedom and flexibility in your schedule allows you to reflect, sort through the noise, and find out what’s real and valuable.

10. Re-establish boundaries. Finally, you can re-establish boundaries. I have a “No tech at the table” rule for family dinners. We don’t have the opportunity to sit together and catch up often, so when we get the chance, I don’t want any of us distracted by things that can wait for 20 minutes.

We live in a hyper-connected society and it’s easy to get caught up in the world we’ve created through social media. I challenge you to take a break, even for a day. You can thank me lat