I’m Taking a Sabbatical from Social Media
Hi, folks!
Has anyone else noticed the negative trend on social media? Anyone?
… Everyone?
Me too. It started weighing on me during the pre-election season in 2016, and has only gotten worse. I tried so hard to tailor my Twitter feed simply to writers who talk about writing. They makes me happy.
But no matter how often I weeded through my feed, it didn’t last. People have opinions, especially on Twitter. And that’s awesome. Freedom of speech should never be taken for granted.
But sometimes you need to take a step back for your own mental health.
I remember flight attendant training at United, my first airline. Half my class was Japanese speakers, and one in particular was my age and a dual citizen–Japanese and American. She spoke both languages fluently, but was raised in Okinawa. Those four weeks of training were her first time in the States.
One night, while we studied at the restaurant in the hotel, she pointed to the TV and said, “America must be a really dangerous place. All I’ve seen on your news channels are bombings and shootings and murders.”
That stunned me. I laughed it off and told her America wasn’t all like that, but… full disclosure? That’s the day I stopped watching the news.
I think that social media is an excellent tool. I wouldn’t have found my literary agent without Twitter. I couldn’t keep track of half my friends if not for facebook. But when you start to get addicted, when reading your feed weighs you with the heaviness of the world, when you’re sad and angry more often than you’re optimistic and happy… it might be time to take a break.
And that’s okay. 🙂
So, I’m going dark on all social media outlets until December 1st. National Novel Writing Month looms, and I plan on finishing a 65,000 word novel. I wonder how much time I can salvage for reading, socializing, meditation… time that was otherwise poured into Twitter.
I wonder if I’ll come back, honestly.
Either way, my future’s looking bright! Let’s buckle down and write a book, huh? 😀
If you need to reach me at any point during the next month (and maybe beyond), you can always email me at rebeccathornewrites@gmail.com. Also, feel free to friend me on the NaNo site! I’d absolutely love to see what you guys will be writing in November!
Have you ever taken a break from social media? Did you feel like it helped your overall happiness?
4 Comments
lydiaewinters
Enjoy your break! I quit Instagram for awhile because I’d gotten addicted to looking at accounts that were messing with my head. It helped break the habit of looking at accounts I didn’t even like that were full of negativity.
Rebecca Thorne
On Instagram?? Yikes! The only people I follow there are bookstagramers… but it’ll still be one of the fatalities of this blackout. 😛 I took a facebook break last year around this time, and it helped tremendously! But it got me more engaged in Twitter, which at the time helped me learn more about finding an agent. But now… it’s just harmful. I’m excited for the break. 🙂
getoutoftherecliner
I think you’re doing the right thing. I have complicated feelings about this for myself. I don’t watch tv news for exactly the reason you describe, and I’ve made other changes for my own peace of mind since the 2016 election season. I don’t do much with Twitter and don’t even have an Instagram account. Facebook, though…it’s my main connection to some people. I’ve cut back on the time I spend – I scroll past a lot of stuff – but it’s still true that I get sucked into reading articles that take time I should be using for other things. A lot of those things are writing related, like the article about Phillip Pullman’s top tips for writers I saw yesterday. I think what I’ll do instead is set a time limit and use a timer, and maybe see if I can figure out how to get Siri to stop suggesting it so it won’t be quite as convenient. Not sure I want to go as far as deleting it from my phone. Hmm… Once again, you’ve given me something to think about. Thanks!
Rebecca Thorne
That’s a good plan for you!! All the people I care about on facebook, I have their cell numbers. So I don’t feel like I’ll be missing much at all by leaving… and when I left facebook for a few months last year, it was the easiest transition ever. The people I didn’t check in with regularly just… faded away. And that’s ok–if I truly cared to keep in touch, I would have. 😛 Let me know how setting the alarm goes!!