Social Media Detox

Taken at Arles, France (0711)

It's been two-ish weeks since I decided to take a break from social media, which meant:

1. No Twitter
2. Limited FaceBook (going on to do specific tasks ie: finish posting all my freaking trip pictures, & at that, limited to the weekend)
3. No chatting - facebook chat (which I've always hated), gmail, YM, & skype. 

Twitter was harder than I thought. There were a number of times I had something I wanted to get something out of my system, or an observation I wanted to share- why it's come to the point in my life that I want to disperse these into Twitter universe is beyond me, but yes, harder than I thought. But have succeeded thus far!

Facebook wasn't too bad as I really didn't cut this out of my system completely. I cut out the "aimlessly checking for any status/photo updates" bit of it (which is also what I wanted to avoid on Twitter). I've been on once or twice a week to post my own photos or to respond to mail directed at me. Admittedly, I have been tempted to check- usually when there's something at work I'm avoiding doing, hehe. But yes, I'd think  it's been a success as well! 

Not being readily available on chat programs has been good too. Gives me less reason to focus on what I'm really supposed to be focusing on. I am now also in the process of decluterring the millions of yahoogroups I've been a part of since forever. 

The flip side to not being connected to what everyone else is doing is that huli ako sa balita. A lot can happen in the social media world when you disappear for a while. These sites have really been a source of ready connection to the "outside" world - even reminders about people's birthdays I've left up to Facebook etc to remind me about. I still keep my Facebook account pseudo active by sharing photos - I don't want to become one of those Facebook users who annoyingly have NOTHING on their page (I have a number of friends who are like this.. you know who you are! lol). The day I stop participating on Facebook, I'll delete my account. Which makes me think, should I delete my Twitter account? 

Isolating or hermiting myself away? Ehm.. hindi naman. I just want to give my life my 100% undivided attention. So I've been emailing, reading, planning, muni-muni-ing, doing little things here and there that I believe are keeping me in the now of life. 

In the absence of social media, I've found myself missing people more. But I figure, if I want REAL connection, I'll drop them an email or a text message. Now whether or not they respond, is a whole other story ( ya ya ya, I know some of you know what I'm talking about!), but at least my friends know I'm thinking about them? Likewise, if people really need to find me, they'll know how to do so. 

No idea if this plan is forever, I mean, I don't want to regress into a cavewoman here. But in the meantime, I do think I'll keep it up.