(This episode was recorded during my call week and inspired by this post.)
In the past couple of weeks, there has been more discussion of becoming more intentional about your social media habits. If you’d like more encouragement to see what life is like without “the scroll”, this episode has lots of it.
In the episode, I share my own story of quitting various forms of social media and then offer 10 compelling reasons to give yourself a break from the scroll.
The scroll is endless; your life is not.
(Yes, I came up with this, and I really like it! Hat tips to Jodi Wellman + Oliver Burkeman for making me think so much about the finite nature of life lately.)
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11 Comments
This was a very good episode that confirmed that I do not, in fact, need social media in my life. Like, at all. Will stick to blogging and podcasts. Thank you for the reminders.
Oh Sarah, this episode was SO relatable. I have the same sentiments about my social media addiction. I have been off Instagram since 2019, never got a Tiktok but Facebook and YouTube have been the harder ones to kick. I have deactivated my Facebook account countless times but find myself reactivating for a 20 minute checks here or there. Mostly because I really love Facebook marketplace for used kids stuff. However it turns into a rabbit hole and then I need to deactivate. I work from home and like to think I have pretty good self control but these social media platforms really challenge me. Thanks for being vulnerable And sharing your journey and some great tips!
Thank you so much Anne! It’s designed to be a rabbit hole, that’s the problem (for many people, not everyone – noting Emily’s comment below!).
Great episode. I found it interesting that you’re a moderator in other areas, but not with social media. I’m the opposite- I can take or leave social media (mostly leave, because it irritates me) but I get very addicted to other things- most food (not drugs or alcohol, luckily!) I wonder why it’s so much more addictive for some people than others? My son also struggles with social media addiction.
Thanks for this. I think there is still this narrative that somehow you need to be on social media in order to be successful. It’s nice to see (with you as an example) that that is not the case.
Great episode! 🙂 I always love hearing about this topic, even though I still am not sure I’m convinced I want to TOTALLY give up social media… I completely agree that it seems like it’s becoming a lot more mainstream now for more people to be off compared to some years ago. I think people are just getting fed up with all the things you listed- the stolen attention, the time suck, the ads, the negativity and comparison and anger, etc.
Thank you for this! REALLY needed and appreciated it and….compelled to renew my beg for your digital detox!
Haha we will see! I am thinking of incorporating pieces of it into Planning By Season, so stay tuned . . .
I think this is great — I also think it’s important to note that many people have very healthy relationships with social media. My only social media is Instagram. My screentime app tells me I use it for about 20 minutes a day. I only follow people I know in real life, and those twenty minutes are spent looking at their kids, cats, dinners, trips, and book recommendations. It brings me immense joy and connection (often, I’ll use the photo as a jumping-off point to text or call a friend, and they do the same for me). I don’t think I’m unusual in this — many of my friends report the platform in similar ways. I think social media is often demonized, and for some people it certainly is problematic — but for many others it brings much-needed support and connection.
That is great!! I honestly think it’s more of the exception than the rule but it’s lovely to see a use case where it has been so positive!! Clearly you have no problem moderating and it serves you, rather than you serving it!
I absolutely love this episode! It resonated so much with me. I have tried many many times in the past to ditch the social media, but this is a further push that I need to try again. The one area that I struggled with you touched on briefly that in my area many sports and activities use Facebook exclusively to alert people to events or tryouts or important dates. So I’m not sure how I would get around that obstacle but I think I need to do some more thinking on it. Your dedication to this topic is inspiring and I would love to hear more about it anytime you’re willing to share.