5 Lessons Learned From My Social Media Fast
2009
August
31
While I was gone on vacation I decided to not use social media. I was gone 8 days (disclaimer: I tweeted 3 times and used Facebook 4 times, only when I was really bored with nothing to do).
At the beginning it was quite difficult. I get used to thinking about things that I should tweet or things that I could blog about. I could still have that mindset but there was no reason to because I wasn’t going to use twitter or blog. Here are the take-aways from my time away from social media:
- Too much of social media is self promotion. And I’m as guilty as anyone else. I think a lot of Twitter/Facebook/Blogging becomes simply who can yell the loudest “LOOK AT ME!!!” Without relationships, social media doesn’t have much power. And when it becomes about self promotion the relationship factor is minimized. I came to this realization when I had in my head that I had to Twitter about the sovereignty series posts that went live while I was gone. But really my motivation was self promotion. I totally went out of my way during my “fast” from social media just to make sure people would come to my blog. Lame, I know.
- Taking a break is a healthy thing. I was always of the mindset previously, that if something had value then there was no reason to stop doing it just for the sake of stopping. But I’ve changed my mind. Taking a break provides perspective and makes you more effective when you re-enter.
- You need to have boundaries when using social media. I’ve heard hundreds of people say it: “I’m addicted to ______(twitter, facebook, blogging).” And I’ll admit, they are easy to get addicted to. 10 minutes becomes 2 hours pretty quickly with any of those. After some thoughts about all this I’ve come up with a few boundaries that I want to try and keep up with. They are to not use the computer before 9am or after 10pm. I try and use Facebook only twice a day and update my status no more than once a day. The hardest one will be what my buddy Vin calls #antisocialsunday on Twitter. Basically it is abstaining from using social media for all of Sunday. I might adapt that a bit to not use it from sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday, but the premise remains the same…be in the moment with people.
- Social media is a wonderful and powerful tool. The biggest reason I was apprehensive to taking an 8 day break was because I wondered why anyone would take a break from something that has value. Now I’ve learned that I was wrong, but I also realized the power of social media by not using it. I can keep up with news, sports, friends, family, etc…all by using social media. I have almost zero idea what my friends did while I was gone and outside of looking at the Minneapolis newspaper a couple days and watching SportsCenter, I have no idea if anything big happened while I was “dark.” Either we rely on social media too much or it really is that powerful of a tool. I’ll go for the latter.
- The expectation to engage in social media comes more from me than anyone else. You know that feeling? The feeling of needing to blog or Twitter or get on Facebook. Because you need to. People are waiting to hear from you. Yeah I feel that sometimes and it is totally something from within. Sure it is great to be engaged in the conversation going on, but the expectation for me to be engaged only comes from myself. I need to silence that voice.
Have you taken a “social media fast”?
What kind of perspective on social media did the break provide?
(Photo: Taken by Rose from the dock on Lake Okoboji)
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Tyler Braun.
I need to reduce my time on Crackbook.
interesting….i think i will start the social media fast on sundays..good idea….occurs to me this same question came up when cell phones started being the new social media craze….people still ask us how we get by without a cell phone or tv up here….i always tell them i wasn’t aware i was supposed to have those
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I have done this before for a few days at a time but I started today on an extended fast – I’m not sure when I’ll be back on. I’ll post one more blog and update later this week so people will know I’m off and won’t get annoyed that they cannot reach me but then I’m done for weeks. I just need to A) listen to God alone and B) live life fully present to God and those around me IN PERSON.
Additionally, we’ve had some problems with a team member on FB and I’m – frankly – fried from it. I just need the space and I want to focus on hearing God’s voice alone right now…..
Thanks for the encouragement.
I’m in the same boat (no pun intended in regards to photo). My friend Steve has encouraged me to take one day/month for personal development. That means no blogging, tweets,texts,etc. Next Wednesday is my first. I’m not taking my laptop. Just my bible/books/journal.
As far as the promotion part is concerned…I freelance 1/2 time so networking is key for me, but it’s got to be intentional. I’ve been attempting to take Sundays off.
While I haven’t taken a “social media” fast per-say, I did a 30day media fast…which did include no Internet. It was an awesome time and I recommend it for everyone.
As you and I have discussed, I think beginning this week I will be taking a break from twitter and facebook on Saturdays…
dude, when did you change the picture at the top of your blog? sorry, I’m sure I’m just really slow at catching onto the obvious…. Anyway, it’s sweet!
Good on ya, Tyler. Telling it like it is. I go on Twitter fasts a lot. Sometimes for a really long time. It really helps my sanity.
Tyler – I have been doing this somewhat for the past 3-4 weeks or so. I began to notice the same things that you said…that it “becomes simply who can yell the loudest “LOOK AT ME!!!”- totally agree. As a parent I’ve begun to notice parents who are missing their kids’ lives because they are disengaged from what is happening right in front of their face. Mostly they miss it b/c they are too busy on their phones/computers..I just want to say “Put it down and play with your kids”!!! Thanks for posting on this..I think it’s something we all could work on. When I look at my day and say I didn’t have time to really be in the Word but had time to facebook float or blog…something is definitely wrong
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