“My challenge is for all of us to go on a social media fast!”Huh? I cringed a little inside as I heard those words spoken a few weeks ago by my pastor Ed Young. He was wrapping up the second message in a series titled “Hecknology: The advantages and pitfalls of technology” as he dropped the bombshell. A whole week without social media? Seven days? Gee, that’s a long time, I thought.
But the cringe itself proved my need to take a break from the wonderful world of status updates, subtweets and selfies. So one by one, I deleted all of the social media apps on my phone. Goodbye, Facebook. Adios, Twitter. Au revoir, Instagram.
The next seven days were tough, but I learned a lot about myself and about the pitfalls (and even the benefits) of the technology that has a become a part of today’s world.
Here are some of the observations I made during my seven days away from social media:
1. I NEEDED TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH GOD
One of the first things I noticed about myself immediately after the fast was how often I checked social media. Often times, the very first thing I do in the morning is grab my phone and scroll through my news feed. As if anything meaningful would be posted at 3 a.m. in the morning. A week without Facebook resulted in more quality time in prayer and in God’s word minus the distractions. Try it out.
2. I NEEDED TO SPEND TIME WITH PEOPLE
Less distractions also led to more quality time with the people around me. As the days went by, I left my phone out of sight. Not having the option of checking social media kept me from having the urge to check my phone. Effectively, my iPhone had become the Razr I had in high school (anyone remember those things?). I actually reached out to people I wanted to talk to instead of just scrolling on my news feed and seeing what people were doing. It was refreshing!
1. I NEEDED TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH GOD
One of the first things I noticed about myself immediately after the fast was how often I checked social media. Often times, the very first thing I do in the morning is grab my phone and scroll through my news feed. As if anything meaningful would be posted at 3 a.m. in the morning. A week without Facebook resulted in more quality time in prayer and in God’s word minus the distractions. Try it out.
2. I NEEDED TO SPEND TIME WITH PEOPLE
Less distractions also led to more quality time with the people around me. As the days went by, I left my phone out of sight. Not having the option of checking social media kept me from having the urge to check my phone. Effectively, my iPhone had become the Razr I had in high school (anyone remember those things?). I actually reached out to people I wanted to talk to instead of just scrolling on my news feed and seeing what people were doing. It was refreshing!
3. WHAT I SHARE MATTERS, SO THINK BEFORE POSTING
I began to really think about what I was sharing with the world and why I was sharing them with the world. I also thought about what those posts said about me and who I was. Am I being authentic? Am I being encouraging? Am I being an informer or a "me-former"? Am I sharing valuable content?
4. A SELF-INVENTORY WAS LONG OVERDUE
What am I struggling with? Technology is neither good nor bad -- it’s neutral. It’s a mirror that reflects who I am. Was I posting or reacting to other’s posts out of my insecurity? My anger? My ego? My pride? Is that envy I feel when I see a filtered Instagram photo of someone’s meal at a fancy restaurant or when I see a guy proclaiming how awesome his girlfriend is on the virtual mountaintop of Facebook? Time for a heart check!
5. I SPENT MORE TIME ON MY NEWS FEED THAN ___________
I’m just going to see what’s happening on Facebook real fast. Just for a minute. But then that minute turns to five. And then ten. What else could I have spent that time on? I could have been reading a good book. Spending time with people. Went for a walk. Anything! During that unplugged week, I read more than I had in a long time. Putting down the phone will lead to more productivity!
6. STAYING AWAY FROM SOCIAL MEDIA KEEPS ME CALM
According to a story on Forbes about how successful people stay calm, one of the things they do? They disconnect. When we’re around our phones, on the grid, checking emails, checking Facebook, we are exposing ourselves to stuff that can stress the life out of us. It makes us anxious. The same story says that studies have shown that a simple email break (maybe for you and me, it’s a Facebook break) can lower stress levels. Calm and peace beats stress and worry every time. Disconnect!
7. SOME MOMENTS ARE MEANT TO BE PRESERVED, NOT SHARED
One of my friends who also took part in the social media break told me about a moment he had with his girlfriend watching a glorious sunset over the Keys about a week before. He snapped a photo of it and was just about to post it on Instagram when he thought This is a moment between us. I’m going to protect this moment. So he moved his thumb away from the “Share” button and put the phone away. Some moments are private, precious and personal. And they are better off staying that way. Not everything we experience needs to shared with the world -- just with those we love.
8. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN VIRTUAL ONES
When I moved to Texas a couple years ago, I realized that I never took the time in the 21 years of my life to watch a sunrise on the beach. Not once. So I resolved to do so when I got back. When I did, I went with my family and I took some photos of the sun rising, probably one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen. But I made sure to put the phone away and enjoy the moment. I watched it rise into the sky, marveling at God's handiwork. I waited until the sun fully rose before getting on social media because I didn't want to lose a second of this moment by crafting a message to share it. Don't lose an awesome experience by trying to share it too quickly.
I began to really think about what I was sharing with the world and why I was sharing them with the world. I also thought about what those posts said about me and who I was. Am I being authentic? Am I being encouraging? Am I being an informer or a "me-former"? Am I sharing valuable content?
4. A SELF-INVENTORY WAS LONG OVERDUE
What am I struggling with? Technology is neither good nor bad -- it’s neutral. It’s a mirror that reflects who I am. Was I posting or reacting to other’s posts out of my insecurity? My anger? My ego? My pride? Is that envy I feel when I see a filtered Instagram photo of someone’s meal at a fancy restaurant or when I see a guy proclaiming how awesome his girlfriend is on the virtual mountaintop of Facebook? Time for a heart check!
5. I SPENT MORE TIME ON MY NEWS FEED THAN ___________
I’m just going to see what’s happening on Facebook real fast. Just for a minute. But then that minute turns to five. And then ten. What else could I have spent that time on? I could have been reading a good book. Spending time with people. Went for a walk. Anything! During that unplugged week, I read more than I had in a long time. Putting down the phone will lead to more productivity!
6. STAYING AWAY FROM SOCIAL MEDIA KEEPS ME CALM
According to a story on Forbes about how successful people stay calm, one of the things they do? They disconnect. When we’re around our phones, on the grid, checking emails, checking Facebook, we are exposing ourselves to stuff that can stress the life out of us. It makes us anxious. The same story says that studies have shown that a simple email break (maybe for you and me, it’s a Facebook break) can lower stress levels. Calm and peace beats stress and worry every time. Disconnect!
7. SOME MOMENTS ARE MEANT TO BE PRESERVED, NOT SHARED
One of my friends who also took part in the social media break told me about a moment he had with his girlfriend watching a glorious sunset over the Keys about a week before. He snapped a photo of it and was just about to post it on Instagram when he thought This is a moment between us. I’m going to protect this moment. So he moved his thumb away from the “Share” button and put the phone away. Some moments are private, precious and personal. And they are better off staying that way. Not everything we experience needs to shared with the world -- just with those we love.
8. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN VIRTUAL ONES
When I moved to Texas a couple years ago, I realized that I never took the time in the 21 years of my life to watch a sunrise on the beach. Not once. So I resolved to do so when I got back. When I did, I went with my family and I took some photos of the sun rising, probably one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen. But I made sure to put the phone away and enjoy the moment. I watched it rise into the sky, marveling at God's handiwork. I waited until the sun fully rose before getting on social media because I didn't want to lose a second of this moment by crafting a message to share it. Don't lose an awesome experience by trying to share it too quickly.
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