I broke up with Facebook last week and deleted it off of my phone. Sorry Facebook, it’s not me, it’s you. So much of my day, and my phone battery, is spent on Facebook. It goes beyond the normal social media marketing and checking in I would normally do. I’ll be quite honest with you, my response every time I’d hear the “ding” of my phone announcing a new update, etc., was Pavlovian. I had to check my Facebook!
I wasn’t writing as much I want to. I was getting behind on client work and having to catch up at the last minute possible. Who am I kidding, I was laying in bed, checking Facebook and electronics are a no-no for me in bed because the blue light exposure affects my sleep in so many ways.
What have I learned over the past few days? I’m less stressed. I’m pretty sure if you checked my blood pressure, it’s lower as well. Is it just because I’m only on Facebook if I have it open to work? No, because I do all of my Facebook for work from a third-party account.
According to Dr. Kathy Charles at the Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland, Facebook does create less than desirable outcomes due to our activity on the social networking site:
- 12% of the users studied said their Facebook site made them anxious
- 30% said they felt guilty about rejecting friend requests
- Many said they felt pressure to come up with inventive status updates
- Many did not like the different rules of online etiquette for different friends.
Are you one of those numbers? I am definitely in the 12% of those who Facebook makes anxious. It’s not because I want to impress people, but more because everyone has lost their filter on Facebook, sharing angry rants, over-share personal information about their intimate lives, or openly weep over every single tragedy in the world. Not that there’s anything wrong with what they’re doing, but I absorb a lot from other people so there has had to be a place where I exert control over things that affect my emotions again.
Furthermore, while I realize it’s also a great way of connecting and receiving support from your community, are the people you truly want or need that support from people you’ve not see in twenty years and who wouldn’t give you the time of day in high school?
When you boil all of this down, it’s very much a personal preference. For me, I’m better with less exposure to others emotions. Sounds harsh, but it makes my life better. Taking care of me is essential.
Lisa is a lifestyle blogger, writer and social media strategist living in Charlotte, NC. 
