Well, sort of.
Did you know the average person spends 2 hours and 22 minutes on social media each and every day?
WOW. And we wonder why we are so busy….
On average Kaylie and I spend 4+ hours each (every day) on social between: content creation, image creation, responding to DM’s, interacting with other accounts, and keeping up with conversation starters.
It’s a time-suck, and not one I think I’m going to be the most proud of when I look back 5, 10 or 15 years from now.
Does this mean I’m done with it? Nope, because it’s pretty difficult to run a small business without it these days, and I really do like the conversations I have and the people I get to connect with on there.
BUT I AM BREAKING UP WITH IT….JUST A LITTLE BIT….FOR MY OWN SANITY.
Here’s how:
- I have taken Facebook off my phone & will only engage on my desktop (this saves you from the mindless checking and scrolling).
- I have moved IG to a folder in my phone that isn’t on the homepage so I don’t see constant notifications that can trigger me to get all worked-up and feel behind in my work.
- I am using the Later.com platform and paying for the premium business plan so I can schedule & auto-publish all my posts during ‘peak times’, that are typically my best spent family-time I’d actually like to be present for.
- I have downloaded the IG:dm app onto my computer, so I can time-block answering DM’s into my calendar and not spend so much time on my phone, with the potential to get lost in the vortex.
- I have used the features found in the iPhone settings where you can set downtime & app limit time so your phone actually ‘blacks out’ your screen & usage during the times you choose, and/or notifies you when you’ve reached your app limit. I set my downtime to run from 7pm-7am Monday – Friday, and then to shut down from 12pm on weekends. I have also decreased my app limit to 1 hour each day, to encourage me to do most of my work on the desktop, and discourage me from spending productive work-time scrolling my phone.
- Moving forward I will be spending more time on platforms that don’t require some much ‘real-time’ interaction and promote algorithm hacking for you to do well. Instead I will be investing my time into writing blogs, recording episodes of That Badass Podcast, and using Pinterest to share my message.
I AM NO LONGER A SLAVE TO YOU IG ALGORITHM!!!
Taking 5 weeks off social taught me a couple things around my productivity and presence:
- I am WAY MORE productive when I’m not using it all the time.
- I am WAY MORE present with my family & friends when I’m not concerned about answering DM’s and doing stories.
- I am WAY LESS stressed when I’m not constantly trying to keep up with something that runs 24/7.
I think it’s time to be a social media rebels and say FU to the hold it has on us and our happiness, the space it can take up, and the time it can suck away from being present in real-life.
I want you all to ask yourselves if you can admit you spend a little too much time on social, and a little less time doing things that seriously light you up.
Maybe it’s time to use some of the above tools so you can be more present and productive in your life. Or maybe you don’t.
I’d love to hear your feedback on this.
Always trying to make your day a little more badass….
Ashley Dale Grant
