The Question:
Can it really be done? Can you still live in today’s world without the constant updates, “Vague-booking” posts from friends and relatives, those famous family Facebook fights, mindless scrolling, privacy-invading user tracking, and endless ads?
Yes. Of course you can.
The Issues:
Do you ever find yourself going to check “just one thing” on Facebook and then you look up from your Facebook fog and it’s two hours later, your coffee is freezing cold, and you’re still in your pajamas?
Have you ever been scrolling along and you see a friend/family member post something so offensive to you that you wondered how you could ever be in the same room with them again?
Did you ever find yourself in a heated comment debate with a random person (or maybe not-so-random) and you wished for a magical moment in time where you could reach through the screen and slap someone?
It’s not worth it.
I have wanted to leave Facebook for years, but I stayed on, mainly because of my direct sales customers. However, this changed early in 2017 when I decided to take a break from direct sales altogether so I could focus my time and energy on family and our homestead. This made my decision to quit social media much easier.
My Reasons:
- Facebook Drama and the Resulting Stress: If the 2016 election taught us anything, it was that the old saying “Never discuss politics or religion” still needs a place in our society. I saw some of the most venomous things ever come from the keyboards of Facebookers. Another source of drama: Posts from family members/friends that you don’t quite agree with. Not necessarily my own family/friends, mind you, but this is a very real cause of stress that I have seen/heard about ever since the beginnings of Facebook. Many things…A GREAT MANY THINGS…are better left unsaid.
- Wasted Time: I would be utterly embarrassed and ashamed to tell you the amount of time I spent on Facebook in a day’s time, so I won’t. However, I can tell you that in this last week alone, I have accomplished things that have needed attention for months and even years. Let’s just leave it at that. And if you enjoy research, look up dopamine and Facebook, and why it is so addictive.
- Endless Sales Pitches: From the annoying side ads to sponsored posts to direct sales requests from our dearest friends…it is all just too much. Don’t even get me started on sales groups and being added without my permission. I can’t even touch on that without a bad word. The fact of the matter is, I am a frugal person trying to pay off all of my debts. Even a dollar spent on something that is not a debt is slowing down my debt pay-off progress. I LOVE to support small businesses and friends in any way I can, BUT, financially I just can’t do that with any regularity. This leads us to the last reason, which is:
- GUILT: Whether it’s not being financially able to support your friend in her business or seeing the endless parade of homeless animals that are within hours of being euthanized and that you would love to adopt, but cannot, there is that awful emotion of guilt. As a mother, I already have to deal with Mommy Guilt. I really don’t need any more to add to my day. Then there are the events you are invited to, and can’t attend. Or perhaps it is a fundraiser for a great cause, and you were added to a FB group, but you have no extra funds or even a desire to donate. There is that dang guilt, just waiting around the corner.
The Wrap-Up:
I once read that the most annoying Facebook post is the one that says, “I’m taking a break from Facebook.” If that’s true, I apologize for being annoying. Still, I hope that you will consider perhaps taking a break from social media if you find yourself in a similar boat! I’ll be right here in my own happy corner of the web, living (mostly) guilt-free and working on my fall garden.
Vacationing with no Facebook updates (ahhhhh!):
My Little Country 
Very professional looking theme but WHY don’t they have this box up under the LIKES where I first told it I wanted to comment? I had trouble finding the box! I can’t remember when I signed off of Facebook but Obama was still in office. I’m pretty sure it’s been longer than a year. I was the recipient of one of those vehement criticisms from a friend (who is now at double arm’s length) and that started the thinking about leaving. I didn’t like that FB followed us everywhere on the web we went and that was the final “I’m kicking you to the curb, FB.” I haven’t missed it a bit. Good thing because FB said I could NEVER sign up again. I still spend as much time on social media because I tune into a lot of diverse subjects via YouTube and scroll through Pinterest almost every day. Neither of these requires you to interact with people, especially Pinterest where you can follow people, they can follow you and you never say anything to each other. As a result, it’s a much kinder environment. Wish you success.
Hey, are you reading the blog on a smartphone? I tried to re-order where the comment area is (to put it below the Like button), but there is not an option for that. I didn’t ever notice it before because I do all my blogging on a netbook, but I see what you mean! But yes, as another blogger put it, Facebook has become a cauldron of hate at times. I am not wasting one second of my life on that negativity anymore! I do love Pinterest for pinning recipes and photos, but I noticed my feed is full of ads and promoted posts. Blah! Still, I can do a search and get what I need there. I love YouTube (even though it tracks you as well) because I look at several vlogging families on there. 🙂 Thanks!
No, I don’t do my blog reading on a tablet or smartphone. I read on a desktop computer or a laptop. Let your theme developer know you’d like to MOVE the comment area and see what they say.
That’s funny because on my desktop, the comments are right below?
Nope. I had to scroll down. Perhaps I was having a less than lucid moment?
Lol! I’ll look again.
Good thoughts! And y’all look great!
Thank you!
I’ve resisted fbook for all these years, until last year a class I wanted to take online made me open an account. I had all my privacy settings set to private and never used it until a month or so ago when I joined some writer’s groups for critiques. Now I know why I never joined… and I’m not sure what to do about it. I’ve never asked a single person to be my friend, but do I want to turn down my real friends when they ask me? And now what? No time in my life for this stuff…. Your new page looks great!