Rebecca Fraser-Thill's Self-Discovery Lesson on the Importance of Taking Time Away from Social Media
As you may know, I have been reaching out and asking people I admire what daily practices (i.e., record worthy practices) they perform in their lives to feel better about themselves. I encourage you to sit back, put away your distractions for a few minutes, and reflect. Think about how you can apply the record worthy practice, which is shared below, in your life.
Today, Rebecca Fraser-Thill suggests:
"When I want (or need!) to feel better about myself, I walk away from social media, especially Facebook. Sure, social media can be great for connecting...but they can also be social comparison sinkholes. This is no small issue: researchers have found that comparisons lead to all sorts of negative emotions like envy, guilt and loneliness. Sometimes I keep away from social media simply by telling myself not to log on for a period of time - but usually my weak will wins over and I'm back to reading status updates before I know it! So I downloaded the program Anti-Social, a social networking blocking tool that can be set for up to 8 hours of "non-socializing" at a time. Not only does setting Anti-Social keep me from feeling awful about myself - "how does my friend have four kids and still keep her house looking like a Pottery Barn catalog AND do crafts ripped out of Martha Stewart's secret stash?! "- but it also makes me a heck of a lot more productive. And truth be told, after a few days of setting Anti-Social, the program becomes unnecessary; the better I start feeling about myself, the less need I feel to read about others' lives - mine is pretty great to focus on in and of itself!"
Rebecca Fraser-Thill teaches psychology at Bates College, is a career coach, and is the founder of Working Self, a website that helps individuals create meaningful work…that actually pays the bills! You can follow Rebecca on Twitter, Facebook, or via email.
Thanks, Rebecca, for sharing your record worthy practice with all of us. I know I’m not the only one who struggles with social comparison. Thank you for introducing us to this program and for stressing the importance of disconnecting.
How has social media influenced your view of yourself? Can you relate to Rebecca's experience? Do you take time away from social media? Why is this practice valuable to your daily life?
Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.
See you at the beach!
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