Why I’m Taking 6 Weeks Off From Social Networking

I’ve had a love hate relationship with social networking for awhile now. I’ve sworn it off a few times before, only to hop right back on a few days later. I just couldn’t seem to stay away. In fact, it seems like every time I’ve been away, I come back and binge on it - further deepening my addiction to it.

I love blogs. I’ve been blogging for five+ years (started back on Blogger before moving to hosting my own). I’ve been a daily blog reader for even longer. I’ve been twittering for over a year now. Been on Facebook for what seems like forever, and did the MySpace thing before that. I’ve even got a few YouTube channels that I’ve followed pretty closely.

To be honest, a lot of this has been really helpful. I’ve been exposed to a lot of great resources that I would have otherwise missed. I’ve made connections with people that have lasted for years - people I’ve yet to shake hands with face to face, but would still call a friend. I’ve reconnected with people from high school and college - thanks mostly to Facebook. There’s a lot of good that has come from social media in my life.

But there’s always a flip side. And right now, I’ve decided I need a break. Here’s what I’ve been noticing about myself and social media that I don’t like:

  • My attention span has gotten much shorter.
  • I find myself getting restless when I try to do the things that are most important to me - read, prayer, study, and meditate. I’ve developed a need for constant input.
  • My ability to focus on one task with intensity and consistency has dropped - I seem to always be trying to do two things at once.
  • I tend to be a bit compulsive, and find myself checking my social media portals WAY too much. (I’d tell how often, but it’s pretty embarrassing…)
  • I’m not good at shutting it down when I should. It bleeds over into most of my waking hours - thanks in particular to the iPhone. (Why just stand in line at the store when you can update your status at the same time, right?)
  • It’s feeds my pride and inferiority complexes at the same time. Pride, because I am continually putting myself out there, oftentimes in an image-driven kind of way. Inferiority, because I find myself continually comparing my life and ministry to the dozens of other people I follow.
The list could go on… but here was the breaking point for me. The other day, I was at the park with my daughter. We were having a great time - she was playing on the slide, swinging, laughing. And I pulled out my phone to “Twitpic” the occasion (and make a quick check of my Twitter feed, of course). And then it hit me - at that moment, I broke connection with my daughter. I was no longer present with her in the beauty of the moment (sun shining, toddler laughing and playing, having fun together…) Instead, I became a spectator and documenter of the moment. I don’t want that. I want to take those moments in as fully as I can. I don’t want my daughter to grow up thinking that she isn’t as important to me as the phone that is constantly in my hand.
Now, I realize of course that the issue really isn’t with social media. Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. are not evil. They aren’t the problem - I am the problem. I’m not managing them as tools, but instead allowing them to change me and rob me of who I want to be. So it’s time for a break.
I’m turning off social media until the end of July.
I’m deactivating my Facebook. I won’t be on Twitter. I won’t be reading anyone’s blog. (Although I may blog some myself - I really do want to start writing more, and maybe this time would be a good starting point). I’m hoping to read more, pray more, and see the way my attention and brain function begin to return to what they were before. I’m hoping to take in my moments with my wife and daughter.
In the meantime, if you need me - give me a call or email instead of a DM or wall post. If you’re local, let’s get some coffee and catch up without any pixels or emoticons.

posted by kaleobill on 06.19.09 @ 11:27 am |

7 Comments so far
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See you on the other side, friend.

By Travis on 06.19.09 3:29 pm

“I am proud of you!

“If your right eye” (phone) “offend thee, cut it off!”

“Make no provision for the flesh”

I am a recovering fb addict. I got on in Jan., found it too addictive & de-act. in March. (Kids activated it again last night to see pictures of friend doing missions in Ethiopia) I found I was going to facebook late at night, spending way too much time there & none in the word. In the morning when I was supposed to be having time with my First Love in devotions, my devoted heart was wondering & too often going to fb. I began to despise the little drawings of my heart to my new ‘lover,’ & the leaving of my First Love in the dust. It was like telling Christ to ’scoot over!’
It had to go. It also reminds me of the busybody widow who went about house to house. Fb is too shallow for me & I could not keep up with my responsibilities or my own household, so it got booted off the throne it was trying to take. I kept my blog, but summer chores around my farm have made it near impossible to spend too much time there. That is more for winter.
Congrats on your stand, I hope you make it!

By Heather Brandon on 06.24.09 10:00 am

“I am proud of you!

“If your right eye” (phone) “offend thee, cut it off!”

“Make no provision for the flesh”

I am a recovering fb addict. I got on in Jan., found it too addictive & de-act. in March. (Kids activated it again last night to see pictures of friend doing missions in Ethiopia) I found I was going to facebook late at night, spending way too much time there & none in the word. In the morning when I was supposed to be having time with my First Love in devotions, my devoted heart was wondering & too often going to fb. I began to despise the little drawings of my heart to my new ‘lover,’ & the leaving of my First Love in the dust. It was like telling Christ to ’scoot over!’
It had to go. It also reminds me of the busybody widow who went about house to house. Fb is too shallow for me & I could not keep up with my responsibilities or my own household, so it got booted off the throne it was trying to take. I kept my blog, but summer chores around my farm have made it near impossible to spend too much time there. That is more for winter.
Congrats on your stand, I hope you make it! Enjoy real life!

By Heather Brandon on 06.24.09 10:00 am

Ironically, I followed a link to this blog from a fb comment someone left on Alan Hirsch’s wall, but I thought it was interesting in light of an entry I posted on my blog 9 days ago. Seems we share some similar conflicts about the social networking phenomena. Here’s the link if you’re interested: http://chrisandjasheen.blogspot.com/2009/06/online-catharsis.html

Blessings & Peace!

By chris mckenzie on 06.25.09 1:34 am

Oops.. I mean, if you’re interested after your cyber-fast.

By chris mckenzie on 06.25.09 4:37 am

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By Coram Deo Blog » Fasting from Social Networking on 06.27.09 10:23 am

[...] So what do you think about “unplugging” from Social Networking? Could you do what Bill is doing… take 6 weeks off from Facebook, Twitter, [...]

By June 30, 2009 « Welcome to the KLRC Morning Show Blog on 06.30.09 7:30 am

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