Like a lot of millennials, I’m more connected to social media than I would like to admit. I find myself checking up on the previous night’s posts before I’m even out of bed in the morning. Immediately after class, I respond to snapchats and I sit scrolling through the same posts simply to avoid homework and studying. Over the summer I was less connected with technology, as I was so busy with friends and having fun adventures. When the school year started and my time became less focused on fun and more on school, social media served less as entertainment and more as a distraction from priorities. Heres what happened when I decided to take my time into my own hands and give up social media for a week.
Monday
I was relatively concerned with what was going on with my favorite accounts but friends and family had promised to notify me if if anything truly noteworthy happened online. I had a significant urge to post a quick snapchat of the cute card my mom sent me in the mail but I remained strong and resisted. I did find myself relatively bored as I waited in the waiting room for an appointment, I found myself checking my email and (unfortunately) online shopping. By the end of the night my work was done and I had spare minutes to facetime a few of friends.
Tuesday
I found new ways to procrastinate; read a fiction books instead of the assigned textbooks, listened to music. Not exactly productive but more beneficial than 20 minutes of online celeb gossip.
Wednesday
I powered through my work during the day so I would have time for club meetings that night. I felt that even when I took breaks from my work I was less prone to completely losing track of 15 minutes, my breaks were not social media screen sessions but actually emotional and mental recovery periods.
Thursday
Thankful that I was one day away from social media usage and a bit anxious about all I had missed. Without access to their social feeds, I was forced to stay in real contact with my friends through other means during the week. I also noticed that by the time I was getting ready for bed I consistently had free time to do what I wanted, a little Netflix , some leisure reading. The four or five 15-20 minute Instagram & Twitter scrolling sessions really added up! It doesn’t seem like a big deal while it’s happening but taking a step back from those mini sessions resulted in bigger chunks of usable free time.
Friday
Glad to be reconnected with the world. I am a fan of social media, I wouldn’t say I am addicted but I enjoy it; posting pictures and especially being able to see what my friends are up to since I no longer see them every day. Taking some time away from it did help me to realize just how much time I waste on my phone. This experiment hasn’t prompted me to cancel my phone plan or move to a non-service area but it has helped me to realize that by prioritizing you end up with time to actually do meaningful & enjoyable things. Even just lounging in the dorm room for a bit before you dive into bed after a cram session can be a joy. I found myself with what appeared on paper to be a lot of free time when I began college classes; the class schedule only took up a few hours of my day, but I still felt like my days were slipping away and I had no time to do the things I wanted to. I’ve found that by prioritizing my schedule and productively finishing necessary work (as opposed to laboring through it, half working/half on the phone) leaves for bigger time blocks to hang with friends, go to the gym or do whatever I want. I like my social media time, but I appreciate it for what it is and am no longer a prisoner of its hold.