Breaking free from mindless social media scrolling: Rethinking how we spend our time

Facebook cleanse: reflections on day two

Day two of no Facebook drove me to Temu, Snapchat and even LinkedIn.

At this point I’ve caught myself throughout the day at least five times searching for the Facebook app to mindlessly scroll in my free time.

The myth of social media

What has become of us?

We can’t even enjoy a few minutes of stillness without being driven to fill it with something like the mythical world of social media where we all put on our best faces and pretend like we’re perfect. Nothing’s 100% real there, yet we use these posts to make judgements about who people are based on who they are projecting themselves to be and how they want us to view them. It’s a great PR tool for us to brand ourselves into the perfect image of who we want to be. But those posts are snippets. They’re not the whole story.

Yet we accept them.

I’ve learned so much since I hit the “deactivate” button.

And I’m still learning.

We are addicted to acceptance

One thing I’ve learned is that most of us are addicted to acceptance. This can come through likes on our posts, comments of validation and even support we get when we ask for prayer or help.

We value the idea of 24/7 connection

Another is that we have all bought into this idea that 24/7 connection is healthy. But is it really healthy? Should everyone think we are available when they see the green active status on Facebook?

Social media has become a fabric of communications for several companies and brands

There are healthier ways to spend our time and unwind. Like reality TV, right? No, but really, this app has become the cornerstone of communications for several companies and brands. And they’ve got our support and attention. But, for what cost to us?

The hidden cost of free social media apps

Is it really free?

Doesn’t it cost us valuable time, social media in general, that can be spent with loved ones? Or in working on our goals or dreams or aspirations? What about other hobbies that have taken a backseat?

I guess what Im saying is we should be careful how we spend our time because we only get so much of it.

We should be sure to spend it wisely and in ways that make our hearts smile.

What matters most

Because the little things like laughter with friends, time with family and holding our babies close, those are the things that are “free” and I’d even argue that those are the things that make us wealthy. Not the coins in our purses, but the little arms around our necks and the “I love yous” on the other line.

A challenge for the year ahead

I challenge us all to cherish our time more this year because life changes in a split second. And sometimes now is all we have. Let’s hold tightly to it, make the best of it and plan for bright futures ahead.