I was stunned . . . did she realize what she was asking? How could a caring, loving person be so cruel? I don’t believe I am addicted or that I really spend as much time as she thinks on my Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, FiledBy or texting communications tools…do I?
Just before Christmas my wife asked me if I would do a favor for her, to which I spontaneously said yes. After all, I was prepared to take out the trash, wash the dishes or even take a walk on this cold Schroon Lake December night, but that was not the request. Instead she replied, “I want you to forego all social media for the holidays!”
“Why would I want to do something so ridiculous?” was not one of my smarter responses. But it hit my brain and just came out of my mouth. So after a calm (if you do not count my first response) discussion, I reluctantly agreed. Thus began my “cold turkey” withdrawal from the social media world.
By day two I was searching the web for “Social Media Anonymous” or some other support group. You know, “Hi, I’m Mike and I am a ‘social mediaholic’.” But I found nothing. I kept thinking, “If only I could let the world know that I am still here, that I still exist . . . then I can handle this isolation.” But a promise is a promise…right?
Here are seven things I learned during this “social media fast”:
- I can survive “going dark.”
- The world keeps turning and the media keeps flowing without my contribution.
- Nobody, I mean nobody wrote to check on me. I mean after all - how could any of you be sure I wasn’t lying on the floor unable to reach my blackberry? (I wasn’t.)
- I did not miss reading the stupid stuff but I did miss connecting with friends which I guess is the main reason I do this.
- It gave me time to think about and refocus on my goal for “social media” communication: - communication which adds value to people’s lives in the areas of leadership and youth ministry.
- If I ever go “cold turkey” from “social media” for ten days again, the holidays are a good choice because others seemed to back off then. (Yes, that means I did sneak a couple of peeks at Twitter but I did not tweet)
- I enjoy and benefit from “social media” but it is just one of the tools in my communication toolbox.
