I unplugged from social media recently
for a long weekend and have been reflecting on the experience ever since. I decided to do so for a few reasons.
First, I believe that the collective time I am spending mindlessly scrolling can be better spent elsewhere. I realized how many times each day (when I had a few moments here or there) that I would click and scroll without even realizing it. That time adds up.
More importantly, I want to be present. I want to pay attention to the people, things and moments that truly matter. Unfortunately, more often than I’d like to admit, I’m not here in this moment and for me, social media seems to be a big part of that.
Now don’t get me wrong, not only do I enjoy social media but I also find it useful for many different reasons. But right now, here in this season, the amount of time I am on it, more often than not just scrolling, is not best serving me.
Last weekend when I made the decision to unplug, I was really disappointed in how many times I found myself clicking to check my Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn without even realizing it. Whether I was sitting at the airport waiting to board the plane or using the bathroom (insert shoulder shrug), one minute I found myself doing something and the next, without any thought it seemed, I was on one of my accounts.
That solidified it for me: these “tools” have become so much more (or should I say less?) than that for me.
So, I have decided to give myself permission
to completely unplug from social media every weekend in September. My social media free weekends will begin before dinner on Fridays and end after my morning routine on Mondays. I was considering making this commitment for the rest of the year but decided to see how doing it for a month feels first. Something tells me it will be similar to last weekend: a bit of a challenge to completely unplug initially but after a few days, I will feel much more connected to the things that matter most. Why write myself a permission slip you may be wondering? Well…
I learned about permission slips from
Brené Brown. If you aren’t familiar with her work, you are most certainly missing out. Check out this really handy and informative document I found on permission slips by clicking here. I absolutely love this idea and have done it a few times over the years to grant myself permission to do things that I may not typically do. In this case, I’m granting myself permission to take care of myself, refocus on being mindful and pay attention to what REALLY matters to me and I’m doing it in a way where there are no repercussions if I don’t deliver.
What can you give yourself permission
to do? I would love to hear what this sparks in you, what permission you decide to give yourself, if you think this is silly or any questions you may have for me on this. I welcome it all!
Sending joy,
Jennifer
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