Last month, I decided to take a break from Facebook. I engaged in too many political debates that, while fun, were taking up too much of my ability to focus. With work increasing and turning 40, I decided its time to get rid of the Facebook distraction. Was getting off Facebook worth it? Should you say goodbye Facebook?
Benefits
Getting off Facebook has been wonderful for my stress levels. My feed had been taken over by the political shitstorm that is Trump’s administration. One side arguing that the administration is incompetent, and the other, unable to defend Trump’s actual work, bringing up Hillary for the millionth time despite her not being president. It became too much. Since leaving, I’ve had more time to work on my goals, to write more, to read more, and to spend more time with my wife. I don’t debate as much as I used to by a lot. In fact, I hardly argue at all anymore.
Since leaving, I’ve actually gotten ahead of my word count goals on my novel. Normally, I read twenty-four books a year,. which is two per month, but this year, I’ve already read fourteen.1 Usually, writing for the blog takes time away from writing on the novel, but now I’ve been able to do both and write outside projects. I have so much more time to work on the things that I want to work on.
Costs
Facebook is how most of my friends communicate, and since I’m not on there, I feel out of touch. There is a feeling of connectedness that I’ve lost. Before I’d get tagged in a mass post, now if someone doesn’t text or message me, I don’t know what’s going on. With being out of the loop on the negatives of social media, I’m also out of the loop on the positives. I enjoyed seeing my friends lives and what they had to promote.
Promoting things is much more difficult as well. When I had the announcement about Putting the Science in Fiction cover reveal, I nearly got on Facebook to share it because that gets in front of so many more people’s eyes. People also could more easily find my blog due to that increased visibility.
Verdict
After a month away, is it time to go back to Facebook? Despite the cost/benefit analysis shown above, the answer is quite easy. No, I will not be re-opening my account yet. With all this extra time, I’ve been able to focus on my goals and push myself towards what is meaningful to me. If it were possible for me to have a healthy relationship with Facebook, I’d go back in a heartbeat. I love seeing my friends and reading of their accomplishments and lives. But on Facebook, temptation to get into political arguments is just too high. For now, I’ll just stay away.