I can’t figure out the exact date that I left Facebook behind, but I think it has been nearly a year since I decided on an “Unplugged30” challenge which involved . . . well, quitting Facebook. Among other things. I deactivated my account (rather than deleting it completely). While there’s always the possibility of a return, I haven’t been tempted.
If I were to click “Log In” my account would be reactivated.
I’m 11.5 months in and honestly haven’t even really considered it.
Honestly, I have loooooooved not being on Facebook. Reasons why:
1) I didn’t have to consume any political @*#&@ that I didn’t want to.
2) I didn’t get sucked into the ClickBait that I used to get sucked into . . .a lot. (Physician Mommy Group — ugh that name! — was my particular poison, and somehow it caused hours to simply . . .evaporate into nothingness).
3) I feel like I control my social life more. I don’t really know what others are doing (and funnily enough, when you don’t know, you don’t care!! I have basically no FOMO.)
4) I do not compare myself to others as much. I still use Instagram so I’m not immune to carefully-curated-life-image-envy, but it’s far less severe for me than FB, probably because my feed is pretty sparse and contains more planner pix than say, random high school classmates.
5) I do not find myself dragged into work when I don’t want to be (I’d get random novel-length endocrine questions from friends-of-friends or students wanting to rotate or what-have-you. Sorry, but no.)
Reasons I have missed Facebook:
1) . . . . ?
I CAN’T EVEN THINK OF ONE. If I haven’t kept up with certain relationships well – perhaps there’s a reason why. I think 2017 will be FB-free as well. #unplugged30 for the win!
10 Comments
I haven’t given up Facebook entirely, as many of my friends use it for planning gatherings, but I have unfollowed about 90% of my friends so that my news feed is really short. It’s been great to just see things from the people I really care about and not have to filter through the garbage.
I’ve never been on fb at all, but the one downside is the big "sign into Facebook " box when I’m trying to see the website of a restaurant or other activity that only has a Facebook site.
I’ve been off it for eight months and I don’t miss it at all. I have no plans to go back.
I would LOVE to quit FB entirely. However, I do actually use it for news, following the NYT, WashPost, etc. Did you find it harder to get quick news updates after quitting FB? I’m wondering if there’s a good alternative strategy to staying informed that I should pick up so I can end FB for good. Thanks!!
1) the Skimm
2) going to NYT website or WaPost as matter of routine in the morning
3) other news/email newsletter type deals (I don’t have specific recommendations but I am sure there are left-leaning / neutral / right-leaning options galore!)
I’ve been almost FB free for about two years now. I say almost because I do have a random account with zero friends on it for certain things where I *need* Facebook (like internet contests, buy and sell groups, advertising my property that I lease…) I don’t miss it at all! I completely agree that if a relationship is important enough to the two people in it and worth investing time into, it will survive not having Facebook.
Honestly the only thing keeping me on FB is a couple of neighborhood groups (the school group and Buy Nothing) that I’m very active on. I wish I could unfriend everyone and just be part of those groups. OMG that physician mommy group was the WORST. I got out of that pronto when I realized what a weird worm hole it was. Why am I spending hours reading about anonymous strangers marital troubles or other out-there dilemmas? It was fascinating, but probably not healthy!
OK you’ve convinced me, I have some stuff I’m getting rid of on Buy Nothing, but I’m almost done with the whole house de-clutter, and I’ll do an "unplugged 30" and deactivate FB for a month.
you could!! You could inactivate old account (rather than unfriending) and start a new account just to join those groups!!
PMG was just ugh. It was actually worse than GOMI! And I haven’t gone there in quite some time, either 🙂
The thing keeping me on Facebook is living 2500 miles away from all family members except one. Also I’ve found it useful to keep old bosses amd coworkers in touch with my life enough that I can call on them for a reference or favor related to my career. My solution was to take part in no games, no groups, and reduce my friends list from 220 to 20. Since then I carefully consider new friend requests (after two years I’m only up to 30 now) and I do not mind turning a friend request down. But, I’m very impressed with what you’ve done and if I still lived in my home state I would’ve done the same myself.
I admire you being off for an entire year! I quit after the election results came in (mid-November 2016) and have been off since then. It’s been quite refreshing. I still get anxious when listening to public radio sometimes so I occasionally will just turn on some podcasts. I think that we are over fed when it comes to news, and separation has been one of the best mental health changes I have done for myself.