On Friday evening I was standing in the kitchen talking with my 10 year old and I realized that as she was speaking I had my phone in my hand and I was wanting her to HURRY UP because right before she walked in the room I was about to check ye olde Facebook on my phone. I was distracted as she talked. I wasn’t looking at my screen but I might as well have been because my palm was just itching to tap the little blue App button. And I only half heard what she was saying because of it.
“Enough!” I said to myself as she talked. Actually, I think the voice in my head said something more like, “are you freaking kidding me???”
So when she finished up and walked out of the room, I sighed a big old sigh. And I tapped the little blue square with the lower case f on it and held it long enough for it to flicker. And I hit delete. And I decided I’d take Facebook off my phone for the whole weekend.
Simple as that.
It was perfect. Several times during the weekend I found myself taking my phone out of my pocket and then remembereing that I had hit delete and so just tucked it right back in. By Sunday I was no longer taking it out at all except to take a few photos – habit broken just like that.
What I realized that first day was just how much I DO take my phone out. Ridiculous really. And most often on the weekends there really isn’t much going on on Facebook anyway. Certainly not enough to warrant wishing a conversation with my 10 year old would end!
By Sunday I was feeling the joy and connection of full on presence. Really. I know it sounds kind of simplistic but maybe that’s because it actually is. Simple that is.
Because while I love the FB for connecting and for taking little breaks from my writing and other random computer work and for promotion of events and products and blog posts, I simply don’t need it on the weekends.
And hitting delete was just so easy. And allowed me to break the FB spell for the whole weekend long.
Try it. And let me know if your habit is easy to break. And if you don’t find something beautiful in its place.
7 Comments to 'Breaking the Facebook spell. One weekend at a time.'
February 4, 2013
Great post….I love your honesty….I don’t possess a phone for that very reason …DISTRACTION! I have enough “noise” in my life without adding any more to it. (Please note, I do appreciate that a phone can be very useful, especially in an emergency).
I have met some wonderful-inspiring, beautiful beings through Facebook and it has been and continues to be a valuable platform to connect with so many like-minded souls sharing their passion to connect children with nature.
However, Facebook for so many can become an addiction, one that steals their time (their LIFE) if they are not careful….I myself have in the past been guilty of spending way too much time on Facebook. I wondered what kind of role model was I setting for my teenagers….How can we expect our children to unplug when we are not unplugged….so I decided to limit my time on Facebook and unplug from the internet most weekends as I value my family time to be way more important. Our children are gifted to us for such a short time, I don’t want to miss out on that precious time we have together.
Wishing you all a week full of awe and wonder, love and peace Marghanita xx
February 4, 2013
Also breaking that spell. I’m keeping the Messenger and the Pages administration on the phone. But the stream of bummer updates and bumper sticker sentimentality… Delete.
February 4, 2013
This post is so wonderfully timed – I am doing a 10-day Facebook fast, because I’m also finding myself spending a little more time than I want to. I don’t often use Facebook on my phone (I don’t usually have my phone with me to check it!) but I find myself clicking on it on my laptop just to have a little distraction. There *must* be better ways to spend my time… xo
February 4, 2013
Oooh PJ!! I like this option too!
February 4, 2013
It’s a very hard habit to break! And, I agree with you. For me the only way to break it is to take the dang thing off of my phone.
When I’m conscious of how often I pull out my phone and mindlessly check it throughout the day, I’m embarrassed. And I can’t stand the idea that my kids are watching me do it and will, one day, pick up my bad habit too.
Thanks for the reminder to be more present and less dependent on phones/Facebook.
February 5, 2013
I really appreciate this post. I deleted my Facebook yesterday. I can’t tell you how good it feels. I spent a couple of months trying to go days at a time without looking at it, and when I did check in I didn’t see much I thought I’d miss. What I did see was a lot (negativity, intolerance) I’d rather not have taking up my time or space in my head. So I let it go. And, time is precious when there’s a little one(or more) at home. I don’t want to waste it.
February 7, 2013
[...] and I’ll be shutting my laptop for the weekend to try and recharge and reenergize. (Thanks to Bernadette Noll for gently nudging me in that [...]
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