30 Days off Social Media & This is What I learned
Social media is a weapon of mass distraction.
#033
Hey 👋🏼
Happy Val. Hope you have a good one!
If you’re new here, subscribe to receive short, actionable career advice directly in your inbox every Tuesday.
You can read past issues here.
In December of 2023, I read Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism.
Cal Newport is a 41-year-old professor of computer science who has never had a social media account. His book was one of the top 2 books I read in 2023, so I decided to try out its key recommendation.
So, I took a one-month social media break.
He argues that we need to rethink our relationship with social media. Do you really need to be on Twitter, Thread, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Quora, WhatsApp, Pinterest, Reddit, etc?
Social media companies have convinced us that we need social media to keep in touch with our loved ones and to know what’s happening in the world.
But do you need to be on all these platforms just to know when your cousin gives birth? You may need WhatsApp for your team at the office but do you really need to also follow them on Instagram?
Prof. Newport argues that we need to rethink our relationship with social media and only be on those we truly can’t do without.
Negative Effects of Social Media
The negative effects of social media on one’s mental health have been established by many researchers. This article by McLean Hospital says “‘Like’ it or not, using social media can cause anxiety, depression, and other health challenges”
Is the gain of staying informed worth the toll it takes on your mental health?
Naval’s question is apt: “How do you absorb the wisdom of a billion people without being crushed by their anxieties and desires?"
Knowing fully well that “It's the news' job to make you anxious & angry” Naval says.
I agree. Staying informed is overrated.
Why do I need to watch CNN reporting a mass shooting that killed many school children for the 58th time in a day?
My One Month Break
After reading Digital Minimalism, I decided to take January off all social media.
About 10 minutes before midnight of Jan 1, 2024, I deleted all the social media apps on my phone (except WhatsApp for work & family). I also did not use the web versions as well. I stay off cold turkey.
I’d love to say that it was so easy staying off social media for the 31 days in Jan but it wasn’t. I’m active on Twitter where I typically share product management & career insights. So, Twitter was the hardest for me. For the first 2 weeks, I had serious urges to refresh my Twitter feeds.
Riding the elevator to my office in the morning with strangers, I’d pull out my phone to check social media but it was gone! Now I have to smile and acknowledge strangers 😭
In a boring meeting? I had no social media to run to. Waiting at the doctor’s? No social media to kill time with.
What Did I Learn?
I’d summarize the top 4 things I learned below:
1. I didn’t need to be on all those platforms.
It’s been two weeks since I returned to using social media and I have only gone back to Twitter and Instagram (been on Instagram just twice since).
Till today, I can’t explain why I had a TitTok account, for example, when I rarely go there.
2. I Journaled for 18 Times
For many years, I have been trying to build the habit of journaling daily to no avail. Without social media to rush to early in the morning, I picked up journaling and was able to make 18 journal entries.
That’s much more than I ever achieved in the past.
I was also able to stretch daily for about 18 times every morning.
3. I Started to Meditate
One of the hardest things I have tried lately is meditation. I didn’t know that sitting still and calming my mind was that difficult.
I’m still learning and failing. But it’s a habit I intend to cultivate.
As I mentioned in last week’s post, I am taking this mindfulness course. It’s FREE.
4. My Screen Time Dropped by 89%
Several reports state that the average person spends nearly 4 hours on their phone every day. Many people pick up their phones about 58 times a day. That’s more than 2 times every hour.
With my little experiment, I had weeks where I had my screen time dropped by as low as 89%.
Smartphones on their own are not addictive. The apps you have on them are.
Conclusion
This post is not to dump on social media or social media companies.
It’s a personal experiment to rethink my relationship with social media. Every 2 market days, one company is launching a social app or enhancing an existing one to hook us more.
Again, do you really need to be on all those social media platforms? Which 2 or 3 should you prioritize?
Do you need to have all those notifications enabled? A little beep could completely distract you from the deep work that you were concentrating on previously.
I don’t have any notifications enabled for any app on my phone. Try it out and experience bliss.
Notifications are weapons of mass distractions.
If you truly want to keep up with your loved ones, could you do with phone calls instead?
Until Next Week, Keep Winning.
I use an app called Refocus to block all my apps (sadly, including WhatsApp) daily and the app opens them a few hours before I go to bed. For me, the ultimate benefit of staying off social media is learning to be present and see the world in new ways.
Staying off social media makes you realise how we aren't present as a collective, and how that hinders building quality relationships. Your post has inspired me to go cold turkey. Thanks for sharing!
Considering how I've somehow let myself get distracted from my goals this month, I am doing this right away! Fingers crossed and I am able to catch up. Thank you, Azodo. 😅