The Social Media Break

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Broken Heart of Social Media


It sounds crazy but it worked for me. Here's what happened:

Who? Me
What? Took a Social Media Break for a Week
Why? To recalibrate
Where? Computer, smart phone.
How? *Logged off major social media sites. I still logged my miles (dailymine.com) but did just that, not much interaction. oh, also ignored FourSquare updates from friends.
I still did Social Media consulting during that week but no mindless browsing. 
Benefits? I Checked out of intense social media usage and as a result I had a chance to:
1. Think Outside the Box • I had a chance to look from the outside in, evaluate my usage and go for effectiveness.
2. Take a New Approach to Life • when you find a new balance, it pays off to use it in your every day life. Some old habits had to go and the new habits are now a part of life.
3. Read More • My kids and I love books, so we read more real & digital books. Reading refreshes me.
4. Live a Qualitative Life • Because I wasn't 'numb' from my intense social media usage I had more intention to enjoy life without having to report on it. Smelling the rain for example was highly enjoyable as well as resting from all my activities.
5. Manage Stress • This is the story of my life. I really believe that if I manage stress well, the quality of my life in the next 20 years will improve a lot. I paid close attention to my stress level and for a whole week I found healthy ways to deal with it. I ate pretty well, rested more and I fought stress with exercise. Check out my miles from last week:
My mileage for the month of June. Take this stress!
Instead of eating my stress away, I made the conscious effort to run/walk it away. It seems to be working.
I want to encourage you to challenge yourself and look at every area of your life. Is there room for improvement? If the answer is yes, work at it. It's just June people. There is plenty time to work on adding more quality to your life.
News: • Tomorrow I will be hosting the Barney Butter Giveaway here on the blog, so come back for a chance to win! • Do you have a question for a Professional Counselor? I am working on a Podcast titled: "Counseling Demystified: Benefits for Individuals and Families" and I would love to ask your questions!
Nicole@Rare Bird said...

This is a great idea and something I try to do a few times a year, though I should probably shoot for once a month. It is a great way for me to regain focus on what is really important. Good insights, my friend!