It’s no question these days that we are all hooked on Facebook. Whether you love it or hate it, it has become a prevalent part of our life as a messaging application, news source, and entertainment hub. People who complain about Facebook even go on Facebook to complain! What was once an American diet of 8 hours of TV per day has now transitioned into 8 hours of Facebook and Youtube per day. People are getting less done, and spending more time on the web. When was the last time you weren’t on Facebook in a 24 hour period? Let’s take a look at why taking a breaking might be a good thing!
1. Get outside the windows
We spend all day clicking and swiping, closing apps, opening apps, and browsing clickbait websites. For some people, the first thing you see before bed, and the first thing you see in the morning is a Facebook application. Turn it off, take a break, and let your eyes readjust to the beauty of the world.
2. Stop comparing yourself to others
As social creatures, humans love communication and, consequently, gossip. What place better to breed gossip than Facebook itself, where your newsfeed is constantly erupting with the private lives of everyone in your circle (or even out of it!). You can see who is having a good day, who’s buying new cars, how everyone’s kids are doing, so on and so forth. And it makes us start wondering, about our life, and how it stacks up. Are you posting about your achievements? About your day to day struggles? Yes? No? Who cares! Just forget about it. Comparing yourself to other people is deconstructive and doesn’t help anyone. Just be yourself, and love it.
3. Have more time for your hobbies
Perhaps you used to be a wonderful piano player, or a great wingman for your friends. These days, we’re getting older, lazier, and more content to just sit back and watch. Facebook is not helping us become more proactive! Take a break and limit your usage everyday to get back to what you really like, whether it’s knitting, croquette, or listen to some old records. Trust me, you will feel great!
4. Spend more time reading
I can’t argue that most of our activity on Facebook is indeed reading. However, it’s reading in short bursts – news clips, headlines, brief articles and captions. Take a step back and go pick up a book again. Sounds intimidating? Go for a magazine! Maybe even a subscription. Choose a topic that interests you, whether it be home decor or local fashion. You might find yourself involved in a magazine hobby soon enough that will have see you reading more and more. Read books outside of your general element. Learn about microeconomics, American politics, or the psychology of retail. Anything that will stimulate your mind to grow beyond the latest cat video on Facebook.
5. Play with new apps
You don’t have throw away the phone to resist Facebook. Instead of spending 30 minutes on Facebook in the morning, spend 10 minutes on Facebook and the other 20 minutes playing a new and intuitive app-game. You could be learning a second language, getting better at problem solving with puzzle games, or just getting to the next level of Candy Crush. Whatever makes you feel good. That way at least you are not spending the time getting more involved in gossip that does not concern you – and spending more time increasing your brain power.
6. Go out more
It’s strange to see someone at a coffee shop these days with out their head stuck in their phone. And it’s not helping our social life, either! Try to remember a time before the internet and social media age. When we went to coffee shops, we met our friends, and talked about interesting things together. Instead of editing selfies and posting about your coffee on instagram, try striking up a conversation with someone instead! You never know where your day will end up after that!
7. See a different perspective
There is nothing wrong with using Facebook as a news source, but one thing Facebook doesn’t do, is show us the opposition. Watching the news on Facebook will largely just show you things that you approve of, things you follow, and things that you find agreeable. Try subscribing to a real news source such as Flipboard, which will show you a wide range of global topics, and not just the ones you happen to Like on Facebook.
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