Practice leaving social media
Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible.
I’ve climbed over 17,000’ since April 19th. This is in preparation for a half-marathon that I’m running in 12 days.
What the hell does this have to do with the Social Media Escape Club?
It’s practice.
It’s why I’m not telling you to delete your social media accounts today.
If you want to live a life without social media stealing hours of your day, start by deleting the app(s) from your phone.
That’s practice (you can reinstall them later if needed).
Try logging out of the accounts on your computer.
Practice (I logged out of LinkedIn today).
Turn off your phone, as Cody Cook-Parrott writes about in ‘Hope and Flowers’:
I know that my ability to earn is directly related to my ability to rest. Not just rest but to turn off the phone, to communicate with less people, and have less screen time. To read, to write, to really be without the phone. To turn the phone off. How many times can I type - phone off. Phone off. No phone. The phone is off. When was the last time you turned your phone off?
NOTE: there’s no need to reply and tell me you can’t do so because you're caring for someone or you’re waiting for an important call from your doctor—I get it.
Experience being unavailable.
How does it feel when no one can reach you? Maybe journal those feelings. Record some audio of your experience, or a video. You don’t need to share it, but come back to it in a week and reflect.
As you live your life away from social media an hour at a time, you’ll discover that things don’t usually crumble. You don’t disappear.
As you practice being away from social media, you might miss something, so adjust accordingly. If a friend usually DMs you, tell them you’re taking a break tomorrow, and you can be reached via email or text.
If they resist, focus on those who respect your decision not to use services that negatively impact your mental health (I’ve absolutely done this).
Some things you can do in an hour instead of using social media:
Go for a long walk, bike ride, or sit next to a lake
Share a meal with a friend
Read a book or a magazine
Send a nice email to someone whose work you admire
Call a friend and discuss art, movies, breakfast recipes, etc.
Contact someone in your field about working together on a project
Stare into space, the void, the darkness of time
One of my favorite things to do is take the photos, witty remarks, and hot takes that I used to post on social media and send them to a few friends instead or turn them into a blog post.
The spontaneous bits you’d post on social media can be the source material for your next newsletter, text to a pal, Discord group, or next live Zoom hangout with good people.
Like Professor Pizza of Axe Slasher said in one of our ESCAPE POD hangouts, “why should I give my best material to Twitter?”
◼️ Let’s skip the Zoom call and work together via email. Send backstory and a question or two here: hello@socialmediaescape.club
To niche or not to niche?!
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Can you build an email list without social media?
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Should I update my About page?
Go paid?
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I basically write you a personalized newsletter, responding to your initial questions and quandaries. Find more info here.
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I always love the serenity I feel when reading your posts lol.
The long walk does it for me. Of course I do take my phone on dog walks...I've had too many emergencies not to. But I DO NOT EVER pull it out while walking with my dog. That would defeat the purpose of being at one with my dog in nature.
I love your content and the challenge to step away from social media. I'm a big fan of Cal Newport, and I did the 30-day social media detox he suggested in his book Digital Minimalism. My biggest takeaway from the book is how we as a society have bought into the idea that we can't live without social media, but that's not true, and in many ways, we are better off without it. For June, I'm doing the 30-day social media detox with my subscribers, which I'm excited about. I always feel better after breaks from social media, which says a lot about its impact on my well-being.