Go ahead! I dare you.
First off, let me admit that I was reasonably addicted to Facebook, but I didn’t want to leave anytime soon. That’s why I decided to deactivate my facebook account periodically.
Surprised? Don’t be. Half the people in my life are on Facebook. The other half are not. Or to be really honest, that ratio is probably skewed more in one direction than the other.
As a blogger and as one who runs a blogging group on Facebook, the first time I suggested the idea of deactivating my account to a few friends, I was met with a reaction very akin to Sean Bean’s , as evidenced below:
Yes, yes, I soothed them. I understand that you will all miss my sunny presence, my witty humour, my dazzling status updates and my much-admired wisdom on all things blogging, but it must be done. I must tear myself away from this wily social network that seeps into every pore of my being with its insidious lure of ‘likes’, comments and adulation. I needed a break, said I, with the air of one who has suffered a good deal.
So, in December, I did it. For the first time ever, I went off Facebook for an entire week. I let a few people know in my blogging group and my other groups that I would disappear temporarily. Most took it well, some sobbed that I would be missing and others didn’t raise so much as an eyebrow. I was expecting a farewell party and was sorely disappointed. 😉
What was more amusing though, were the panic calls and messages I received a day after I deactivated the account, from people who did not know that I had vanished.
“Are you okay? Was someone mean to you?” asked one.
“Why did you leave Facebook? Was it all those game invites?” asked another.
“Did you just leave because you did not want to un-friend people?” asked yet another.
So then, I felt like Heath Ledger, you know? Not exactly like him, but close enough:
Most important, though, I realised I was living my life on Facebook while chores piled up, errands were left undone and deadlines came and glowered at me with a looming sense of doom. I had already removed the Facebook app from my phone, turned off all notifications and even signed out of the network on my browser. But, the email notifications were my undoing. I sighed and logged in again each time a message popped up in my inbox.
That’s when I decided: I would do this every month. A week, a few days, maybe more, each month would be Facebook-free. But there was a hitch. I could not deactivate the account without losing my Blog Facebook pages, and that was making me re-think my decision. So, I created a secondary account which I could use to access my blog pages on Facebook.
That account has no friends, no details and most important, no news feed. Have you noticed how often you spend scrolling through the News feed wasting away time? Next time you are on Facebook, just set a stopwatch. You will be shocked at the number of minutes that tick away while you just ‘quickly check one thing’ before you log off.
As much as I love Facebook and the connections it has brought me (well over a 1000 of those), I need my me-time. I need time to unwind, let go and not be tied down to the dictates of a social network. I love my blogs, I love my friends and I love my Facebook groups.
But I think it’s time to love ourselves just a little bit more.
Don’t you agree?
Hey Manisha, I created a separate account with a different email address and my maiden name. My blog pages can be moderated through both accounts. Both have admin access.
I am curious to know what and how did you manage the secondary account as I tried it once and FB closed my account saying the same person can’t have two accounts.
Was your blog page on your personal account or secondary account ?
Thanks Indrani 🙂 yes, I suggest doing it only if Facebook overwhelms you, not otherwise.
So have you tried it yet? 🙂
Good that deactivating the profile has given you some relief. I don’t have any intentions of doing it though. 🙂 Well written Shailaja.
I think I should go for it…
I don’t think I can…
Oh I’ll not scroll down the news feed…
Damn I just did!
Hmmm…u got lots of will power dear! Fun post this! And u am still considering deactivating! :-/
I hope all is well with you, Roshan. I really do.
It wasn’t easy until I plunged in and tried it 🙂 So give it a go when you feel like it.
Thanks! I loved the images too 😀
Probably gonna see me do this pretty soon for different reasons… but yes, I totally agree with the idea and reasoning behind this
…I should say “dishes…” piling up! 😉
True, for some things social media — esp FaceBook — may be necessary. I’ve been told a few times I should get a FB account for professional purposes / for the job market, but I just can’t get myself to do it. 🙂
I have a FB problem. More like a social networking problem. It can override much more important tasks. As of now, I time myself. 1 hour in a day. Not several times a day. Just one block of time. This works well for the most part. I have had to remove the phone updates though. But there are some weeks when there is so much to do (outside of the virtual world) that deactivation is more effective a measure to keep me on task. You make this sound so easy. I envy your will power.
I do agree about me time but I have never deactivated FB account. Same reasons of blog page et.al but minimised my time on FB which also gave rise to above questions 😛
anyway if it gives u ample of time and u r relaxed of course it is fine to do it. those images were funny
Well, try and see.If you find trouble breathing, you can always reactivate 😉
I want to deactivate the account too. I bet I can live without fb but what if I don’t !
The thing is a lot of blogging contests also require a Facebook presence. Plus a huge percentage of my traffic is from Facebook. Doubt I’ll delete the account but switching off now and then helps 🙂
You never know until you try 😉
Thank you Elly 🙂
Yes, you know my celebrity status, so i need to disappear from time to time 😉 emails for tags alone. Hmm, worth trying!
Yes , agree that the time we salvage is immense. I really ought to turn off email notifications. Thanks for that! And you’re one of the reasons i don’t delete my Fb account 😉
I’m really glad to hear it. I doubt I’ll ever delete the account, though deactivation will happen regularly 🙂
Glad we’re connected too, Parul 🙂
You crack me up, Daniel 😉 I enjoy your posts and comments immensely!
I’m so happy for you. May you never get addicted! As for us, our bond extends beyond Facebook <3
I’m hardly ever on WhatsApp, interestingly 🙂
I know what you mean, but people manage to reach me if they really need to, so it’s with a try, perhaps?
Nope. Not yet. Will be back later this week. You should try it. Very liberating.
Still deactivated:) will be back later this week.
I’m a sucker for a challenge, so when i set myself one it generally works. 😉
It feels great. Networking is great but not when it takes over everything else, the way it did with me. Try it once. You may enjoy it 🙂
It’s taken 3 years but it’s finally registered with most of my friends that I do not use Facebook. Never have. 🙂 On the one hand, I object to the whole data-hoover thing, on the other hand, I’m with you, I know it would take up time that could be used far more productively.
you must have immense will power to go off facebook… that too for a week. The thought itself gives me weird withdrawal symptoms 😛
I think the problem is News Feed. I get so much clutter there it is unbelievable 😉 As for you quitting, yeah, I know 😉
Yes, I can so understand the need for “me time” as you say, and especially when the dishes and other things in life aren’t done! A great idea Shailaja and I commend you for it! 🙂 <3
You know my thoughts on this subject but here I go again to reiterate. I prefer just staying off from time to time, rather than deactivating. But I know you do better with a “plan” so to each her own :P. I’m an ace at ignoring notifications during the time I’m offline, and only answer messages cos if anything’s that important folks will try harder to get in touch ;).
P.S: I get email notifications only for tags so that doesn’t drive me too crazy as well.
I think it is fantastic. I don’t do it every month but I deactivate my profile too. These days I am successfully staying away from FB every weekend. Yes, the amount of time you salvage is mindblowing. 🙂 You are one of the saner people on my TL if that matters. Hey, you can do away with FB notifications in your emails. I have done that for almost all notifications.
I deactivated my account for sort of similar reasons almost 2 years back. I haven’t found a good enough reason to get back. The people I connect with daily and want to connect with find a way to be in touch. I realised that the rest didn’t really matter. Life has been better post-FB Kudos to you 🙂
I don’t think I will be ever to deactivate mine. It is indeed hard 😉 but glad that I have means to reach you 😉
That sounds like a mini miracle to me. One day, I’ll be as brave as you and detach myself from the Matrix.
One day.
For now, I need to refresh the news feed…there must be some new cat videos, and I wouldn’t want to miss them!
I like your idea, Shailaja, but, I miss you when you are gone! Not that we chat on a daily basis, but, something seems amiss during those few days.
As for me, I have, thankfully, been strong enough to keep myself from getting addicted to FB . But, the day I feel I am getting hooked, I will follow you and disappear! 🙂
I find whatsapp more interfering.
I have a FB problem too. It’s so distracting. But so far I haven’t gone inactive. It’s hard, especially recently since I moved and most of my friends are there.
Oh but i have 😉 Fourth month in a row, now 🙂 Very successful. Plus the key is moderation. Now I’ve learnt to handle the Facebook scene without getting sucked in. I have incredible friends on Facebook, so i doubt I’ll delete the account 🙂
Ah, I’ve been toying with idea of deactivating my Facebook account for a while now. Haven’t mustered the courage though 😉 Lucky you. By the way, are you back on Facebook again? Oops… I did a Beloo here…was actually confused if you’re back or not 😉
Ha ha, one cannot deactivate and hold it in when it comes to FB. That’s why when I had enough of it, I deleted my account almost 3 years back and not once have I regretted it 🙂
So are you active now? Or deactivated still? 🙂 See, I didn’t even notice…hahahaha…And as Sid says, those “1000 friends” might need a bit of rethinking!
God! You make it sound so easy and simple. I am thinking of trying it.
Glad you are holding to your stand but we do miss you.
First a fall ,I would like appreciate you for attempting to deactivate yourself from the social media network.I personally tried to avoid being on FB for the longest period but failed as undue pressure came from my set of Videshi Cousins.Alas ! I quiet arguing with them and ended up having an account in FB .But I want to know , how does it feel to live without everyday networking 🙂 .Hats off to you for taking this brave step .Shailaja 🙂
I think your problem might be the ‘1000 friends’. #justsaying
As for you going off Facebook, it perhaps affects me a lot. You know why. But then again, I Quit!