Today I’m over on Mommy Shorts talking about my decision to delete social media apps (among other things!) from my cell phone. This has been a game changer for me!
If you struggle with feeling like your phone is constantly pulling your attention away from whatever else you were doing, take a few minutes to read this post. I would also HIGHLY recommend the book “How to Break Up With Your Phone.” This is the book that prompted me to make some changes, and I’m really glad that a friend recommended it to me.
If you're struggling to control your addiction to your phone, this book is a total game changer.
Why I Deleted Social Media Apps From My Phone
I’ve always been a Facebook person. It’s where I go to see what’s going on with my extended family, my friends, and my kids’ schools.
It’s how I know whose birthday it is and what stories are trending. It’s even where I shop (I’ll admit to a FB Marketplace addiction – I mean, the deals!)
But Facebook is also where I’ve gotten lost scrolling obsessively through comment threads that are some strange combination of appalling and appealing – that, like a train-wreck, I can’t look away from, as much as I might want to. And recently, it’s how I’ve been getting more of my news than I know is healthy. I’m aware that the algorithms are skewing the content to suit my predispositions, and yet, despite myself, I keep scrolling and clicking away.
For months (years, maybe?) I’ve had the growing sense that the social media apps I rely so heavily on are no longer serving me well.
Lately, especially this year, I’ve often wandered into one social media platform or another only to find myself angry, agitated, and more stressed out than when I began. Platforms that used to be for friendly life updates have become unmistakably hostile. And I decided I didn’t want to be there quite so much anymore.
It was time for a change. It was past time for a change.
My friend had recommended the book “How to Break Up With Your Phone,” which is a quick and helpful read. Some of the key takeaways involve making changes to your phone’s settings and home screen to make it less addictive (and make no mistake: phones and social media apps are designed explicitly to be addictive). If you feel like you just can’t put your phone down you probably can’t, and that is absolutely not an accident. Everything about smartphones and apps are designed with exactly that end goal in mind (if you’re wondering why, it’s so that you stay on the various platforms longer in order to increase revenue for advertisers).
I’m the target for these apps and devices, and so are you.
Continue reading on Mommy Shorts.
If you're struggling to control your addiction to your phone, this book is a total game changer.
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