Delete the Facebook App and Survive!

So Facebook crashed on me recently…during a storm. What was I supposed to do for the next few hours?!

The recent dilemma got me thinking. I reach for my phone to scroll through the Facebook app a lot more often than I thought. It’s a little embarrassing.

I chose to delete the Facebook app from my phone once before. I did it for a full month, and the results were glorious. I. HAD. SO. MUCH. MORE. TIME. Like a lot more time.

In the month I deleted the Facebook app from my phone, I pieced together an entire quilt. I don’t make quilts. That’s how much time I gained.

Yet, even after deleting it, I inevitably put it back on my phone. Why oh why?!

My recent dilemma was a good reminder. Even though I have cut back on my Facebook usage way more than I used to, I still do it far more often than I would like.

The trade-off of time

Life is all about choices, especially when it comes to the use of our time. You can do only so many tasks in a day, including relax and goof off.

I put scrolling through Facebook in the “relax and goof off” category of time. It adds ZERO value to my life other than mindless activity.

By choosing to delete the Facebook app, I am choosing to give myself back time.

The negatives to scrolling through Facebook

Here are some of the negative impacts I have experienced as a result of Facebook:

Jealousy. People only post their highlights on Facebook. That means you get to the absolute best parts of their days. Sometimes, what you see isn’t even the truth. The person posting may be a hot mess, but you don’t know. You see they are having fun, and you want to have more fun too.
Body impact. Staring at a screen for HOURS a day isn’t good for your eyes or your neck. Heck, it’s even bad for your elbows. Ever notice how your elbows feel after holding your phone for an hour? I know. Sad.
Time suck. This is probably the worst impact Facebook has on my life. Before I know it, I have missed playing a game with my kids, started supper too late, or been delayed getting out the door for work or school.

How to survive deleting the Facebook app from your phone:

Step one: Delete the Facebook app

First, delete the Facebook app. Go ahead. I’ll wait………..

Did you do it? Come on, do it! It’s ok. You can immediately load it back on to your phone if you REALLY need to. Just try it.

Now that you have deleted the app, pay attention to how many times you grab your phone and look for that little icon the rest of today.

Eek! I know. This is where it really starts to sink in. Don’t give up.

Give yourself a challenge when you delete the Facebook app

Give yourself a challenge for how long you will live after deleting the Facebook app on your phone. It can be for the rest of today, a full day tomorrow, a full week, a month, or longer.

Decide how long you want to live without the distraction of Facebook. You may start at a day and then decide to go longer.

Don’t give up easily

I sound like an addict, but I guess in a sense, I am.

I cannot tell you how many times on my one month sabbatical from Facebook that I almost caved. I was a monster.

People would ask me, “Did you see my post yesterday on Facebook?” or have you see that goofy meme or video floating around Facebook. No. No, I haven’t. My social media drug of choice right now has been deleted from my phone. I had a problem.

Busy yourself with other activities

When you are ready to give up, find an activity to do instead of scrolling Facebook. This is how I pieced together and sewed a quilt. I am not a quilt maker, not even close. Yet, I decided it would be my activity of choice anytime I felt tempted.

The sense of accomplishment I received from starting and finishing a long desired task in my month without Facebook was the greatest feeling.

Try new activities to busy yourself after you delete the Facebook app. Don’t substitute another social media platform!

Leave your phone in another room

If you really can’t help yourself, leave your phone in another room. Essentially, remove the temptation to constantly pick up and scroll. It is possible, and it gets easier after a day or two.

If all else fails…

If you need Facebook for work, or if can’t possibly survive an entire day, don’t reload the app before your challenge is over. Instead, go to your browser and type in Facebook the old fashioned way, before apps. It is clunky and makes scrolling a lot less enjoyable, but you still get your fix.

You can also set a timer for no more than 10 minutes. Give yourself your needed brain break, and then move on. No exceptions!

Once the challenge is over

Once you decide you are ready to add the Facebook app back to your phone, you should have a new perspective. Use the app guilt-free, but know you can survive without it!

Meanwhile, on my stormy day, I guess I’ll go read a book… I won’t be surfing Facebook today.

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