5 Things I Achieved After Deactivating Facebook for Two Months

CREDIT FOR THIS FACEBOOK 3D LOGO  GOES TO SCOT OF http://www.norebbo.com/

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            You have heard it before, “turn off your Facebook and get a life” but you have not had the guts to do it. You’re scared of the friends you may lose or miss and family who live worlds apart that you may not be able to ‘cheaply’ interact with. You probably don’t believe that something would change in your life anyway. Guess what, I felt the same way but I dared to do it and the results were refreshing and amazing. Don’t get me wrong, I love Facebook. It gave me some of the most wonderful friends though I am yet to meet some in real life and it made communication with relatives who live overseas very easy. I am back on Facebook, oh yes I am but not as the same person after taking that two months break. This is my story but most importantly, it is intended to give you the courage to dare turn-off your Facebook if you have dared not. Take note of these five points and take the dive.

CUT DOWN DISTRACTION

I discovered the joys of blogging recently so I started blogging. I had a Facebook account which I have kept for a long time and just couldn’t avoid it. Though I had a blog and needed to do some writing, I realized that I spent an average of 10 hrs a day on Facebook just checking status updates, liking comments and pictures and making comments in groups. Now if that’s not total addiction, then what is? Deactivating my account for the next two months allowed me to take absolute self control and completely cut down the distraction. Now the longest time I spend on Facebook is 30 minutes and I do that only to reply to messages from friends and family. Rather, I’d be online doing research for my next blog, finding new online business ideas or engaging with my publics on other social media that I consider more relevant to what I do. If that is not time well spent, then what is? If I go beyond 30 minutes, it is mostly because I have slow internet that day.

FROM 1000% ADDICTION TO 5% ADDICTION

          

     Though the headline here is exaggerated, clearly, the first point should tell you that I have drastically cut down on my addiction to Facebook. When I initially deactivated my account, I experienced severe withdrawal symptoms, lol. The temptation was overwhelming for the first three weeks. Luckily, I had just created a Google+ profile which seemed to offer something different from my Facebook experience. I was starting out as a Digital Entrepreneur because I believe that is where the future is and Google + afforded me the opportunity to network with a lot of like-minded people and organizations. The regular great articles, blogs, webinars and variety of ideas shared by my network of friends kept me busy and that finally helped curb the withdrawal symptom. At this point I was even considering completely deleting my Facebook profile.

CREATIVITY UNLEASHED

          

      A form of creativity I never believed existed in me was finally unleashed and I became more focused on where I am headed with my life. Mine is to make enough for myself and to engage in social projects for those in need with the extra. How did I find my creativity? In two months, I had read more books, done more research and discovered wonderful genuine opportunities online than I have ever done in my entire life (I shall share some with you soon). I never did so much research even as a university student, though I love research. All this knowledge I had  acquired in just two months opened my eyes to a vast array of opportunities and a creative force in me was finally unleashed. There’s no looking back at this point in my life again.

ABSOLUTE TOTAL SELF-CONTROL

     Finally I can confidently say that I have gained total and absolute self-control over every aspect of my social life.  Until I got on social media, Facebook to be exact, I thought I was the most secure guy in the world, you know, the carefree type never to be bothered by petty issues like jealousy and all that BS. However, day in day out, I noticed how Facebook revealed a major flaw in that part of my personality; I actually thank Facebook for this one. I must confess that, though I was very good at controlling these flaws, I went days and days on end being distracted by them because of certain happenings on Facebook that I wouldn’t bore you with. Infact, these feelings took absolute control of my life. After two months off Facebook, I have been able to deal with these issues completely to the point that nothing on Facebook bothers me anymore though I am back on it. Awesome, I feel very refreshed and more focused on the things I wish to achieve in life more than ever.

SHOCKING DISCOVERY

            

     Deactivating my account for this short while offered me the benefit of hindsight to figure out what I have been doing wrong on Facebook. Therefore, when I went back to Facebook just last week, I decided to take a tour of my entire Timeline from when I joined Facebook in 2008, something I have never done while I was regular. I was shocked at what I discovered. A lot of my postings from the early years were absolutely immature. I realised that, I took a lot for granted. Thank God I was able to discover this and quickly do some clean up. 

           

      This is not a Facebook bashing article, far from it. I love Facebook and I love the fact that I have some awesome friends, there. Infact, I do not blame Facebook for any of the things I have stated above. I actually thank Facebook for letting me realize I have been procrastinating in life. The blame rests squarely at my doorstep. Even by being off Facebook, I have actually discovered a better use for it which I intend to apply in the future. So yes I am back on Facebook but I am back as a different person. Every now and then, when i need to, i will deactivate. If you are having doubts about taking a break from Facebook, there you have it. I have given you some evidence but it all rests with you because you can still take the break, do nothing and return the same as you left. The ball is in your court. If you have already done it I would love to hear your story. Feel free to share yours and this experience. It may help a lot of people out there.