What I learned from not having Facebook for 40 days (and what I'm going to do about it)

When I gave up Facebook for Lent, I got a little backtalk from some friends saying it wasn't enough, and others saying that it was a little silly. Who gives up Facebook only? Social media? Yes. But just Facebook?

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Well, for the first week, my thumb automatically went to where Facebook was on my smart phone. Every. Single. Time. Which, when trying to stay away from FB, was kind of annoying, but then SO SO convicting. Why is that my automatic response to boredom? To sitting at a stoplight? To not remembering what I came in the room for?

Not OK.

The only thing I needed FB for was for MOPS notifications, as that is their primary source of communication, and it turns out that I really did need to check it for this case. I also received a few messages (not my wall, but my inbox) that were time sensitive, so I did respond to those.

What I realized a few weeks in was that, while I was still curious what my high school and college friends were up to, especially the ones who I've reconnected with more intimately since the onslaught of all the Facebook-y-ness, I kind of got over it.

By week three, I had deleted the app from my phone. Gonzo. It was still an (intermittent) habit to press the button, and I was finding that I was much more purposeful, and not as prone to cheating, when I went to check notifications and/or messages on my computer. Why? Because toddlers/preschoolers are a lot more difficult to control when they're trying to press computer buttons vs. me holding my phone. And? I can't check my computer while sitting in the Target parking lot.

And now that I'm looking back, I can see clearly the much wasted time spent perusing my newsfeed. I've read A LOT MORE. Like a couple of books. And I've found new blogs. Really great blogs. So I'm feeding my soul and my brain, and while I really care about those who post on FB, my time is better spent doing other things.

This is not to say I'm giving up the 'ole social media king for good. Oh heavens no. I do miss it. But I'm not putting it back on my phone. I will limit it to only once a day, if that. And I will resume posting my blog posts there, as it's where I get a good chunk of my readers.

Why post this a whole week after Easter, and my Facebook ban, ended? Because I still can't get back on the FB wagon. I've tried. I've really tried! I really thought that once Easter came around, I would go back to perusing each morning and night, with little intermittent check-ins waiting for Preschool pickup. But I can't force myself to sit and go through my newsfeed AT ALL. Which is weird, because I love it. I just can't. get. through. it.

What I will say, though, is that now that Mr. FB is gone from my phone, I actually spend MUCH LESS TIME on my phone in general. Like a lot. As in, unless I get some quiet time in the morning before the kiddos are up, I'm not checking my email or anything until at least nap time. And sometimes not until bedtime.

Which, let's be honest, doesn't that just make sense?

So, what now? Nothing. I'm going to continue on this new path and see where it takes me. I've written so much more, read so much more, and actually spent more quality time with my children. I can't really see any reason to go back to my old ways, so I'm just going to keep the course I'm on.

Until next time,

Mrs. Kuda