getting back to basics.
this post is in partnership with Jord Wood Watches. as always, opinions are my own (like i'd ever not give you my own opinion). thank you for supporting brands that support everything with love.
unless you've been ignoring this blog over the past few weeks, you'd know that i recently finished a month long social media fast. i was off all social media for the month of january, with a goal to reassess my priorities and my relationship with social media in order to live a more balanced, grounded, genuine life. i wanted to go back to the basics of making my life, my people, and my passions the focus of my time, with social media being a meaningful addition to it.
it uncovered a lot of things in me that i didn't really recognize were limiting how i lived my best life. a big part of my month was spent thinking about how i could use social media as an enhancer rather than a distraction, as well as what tools i could use to help me in this pursuit.
here are the ways i'm making my social media work for me instead of against me:
- setting time limits on my social media use
part of my problem with social media before my fast was just the amount of times i mindlessly opened up the apps to waste downtime in a day. it adds up really quickly, and takes you out of your rhythm really easily too. i had a realization that all the posts would still be there even if i didn't see them as soon as they were posted, and once i got my brain around that, setting time limits really helped me manage my use. now, i give myself a half hour in the morning with my coffee to scroll through instagram (although i usually don't use all of that time), and a half hour after the kids go to bed to check it again along with any other social media i feel like i need to check.knowing that i'll have time to look through everything keeps me from feeling like i'm missing out, because everything will still be there. and honestly, "missing out" on a month worth of posts might have given me FOMO for a couple days, but that feeling quickly goes away when your life is still just as good without them. if you can organize your social media time in a way that reinforces that understanding, it's a lot easier to manage it in a healthy instead of all-encompassing way.
- removing apps from my phone
oh, this one is a big one. obviously as part of my month off, i removed all the apps from my phone, or it would have been too tempting to check in here and there. now that my fast is over, i have instagram added back on, but haven't added facebook and twitter and have no plans to either. if i need to check those platforms, i can do it on my laptop. i haven't missed them at all, and i love the space in my brain that i seem to have without them. i've also gotten rid of snapchat altogether, because it didn't bring much to my life.with something like this, you can think about what would work best for you. it might be enough to just sign out of your apps to make it harder to check. it might be enough to just move the apps to the "back" of your phone screens. whatever works for you as a way to slow down and intentionalize your social media use is exactly what you should be doing.
- wearing a watch
this seems so little, right? i know. i almost felt like this was too silly to even mention. and then jord wood watches reached out to see if i would be interested in working with them, at the exact time i was planning this post. could not be a clearer sign in my opinion. if you've never heard of jord watches, then this must be the only blog you read, because their unique watches are everywhere. i've been eyeing up a men's watch as a gift for Mister Man because they're so nice, and their women's watches are equally beautiful (seriously, look at my watch and tell me that gray and rose gold doesn't speak to your soul). my watch matches literally everything, and their sizing was so easy to work with, the fit was absolutely perfect!anywho, wearing a watch is an amazing way to cut the cord with your phone a little bit, because it lets you give up your phone as a timekeeper. how often do you look at your phone during a meeting or a coffee date just to keep an eye on the time, when you get sucked in by a notification or a text, and before you know it, you're totally out of the moment? be honest, it happens to everyone. it's gotten to the point that people rely completely on their phone to tell the time. simple fix? wear a watch to tell the time. i've been wearing this watch for the last two weeks and i've been able to leave my phone at my desk during meetings and at bedtime because i truly don't need it for those moments. it's allowed me to be more engaged during work and with my kids, and i know that it's helping me with my goals.
jord is letting me do a giveaway contest for you guys, which goes from now until february 25 (my birthday!). the winner will receive a watch from jord, so make sure you click here to enter! (the winner will be selected and contacted by jord after the contest end date). if you are in the market for a unique watch, you can also use the code "b121076g" for an immediate $25 off and free sizing, which is a great deal, because who wants to waste time bringing their watch to be sized?
- developing a daily and weekly rhythm
this is something that i continue to work on and will probably continue to develop over the next year at least. and any big life change will necessitate another look because your rhythms should flow with your life and needs as they are now.it's been difficult for me to establish a rhythm in large part because of my part-time work schedule. for those of you who don't know, i work 30 hours a week, i'm in my office three days a week and i'm home two days. so unlike true stay at home moms, my "routine" is anything but. the last month i've been trying to get creative with the concept of a rhythm for weekly cleaning and our days at home. so basically a VERY loose one. i can talk more about this in another post if there is interest, but i think i'm starting to find one that works. it's taken a couple tries, and we all know that i hate that, but who knew? trying works!knowing what my day looks like and having plans and goals in place for myself on a regular basis has helped me manage my social media better because i know when i can check everything and what i should be doing if a get sidetracked. i think this one might be a game changer.
- anything else that works for you
there are so many other great tips on this topic from homesong blog, or other places. things like keeping your phone out of your room, getting a landline, and using your internet provider children's controls to put stop times on apps. whatever you find that works for you and your particular goal is best for you.let me know if you have any tips or tricks you use to manage yourself on social media, or if you like these, or if you're the type that just doesn't need this stuff. i'm newly fascinated by this whole topic so let me hear it!(and don't forget to enter the giveaway! it ends on my birthday guys, how perfect??)
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