During this time of restrictions and bitterly cold weather, we’ve all had a bit of extra time on our hands. It’s how you spend that extra time that matters. You can spend it by being proactive and finding ways to improve your life, or you can spend it doom scrolling, looking at memes, and watching grown men and women fight while sitting behind computer screens.
Unfortunately, I came to the realization that I had been falling into the second category. Far too much time on social media and not nearly enough time on self-improvement and reflection.
Not ideal. It was time for a bold choice.
Social media: OUT. Other priorities, like the ones mentioned above: IN.
Yes, for two whole weeks (or a fortnight, as they like to say on this side of the Atlantic), I would detox from social media. For the first 10 days of my “experiment,” I did not log in to Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat. I don’t use Twitter, and I exempted Messenger and WhatsApp so people still had some way to get a hold of me. After those ten days were complete, I’d spend the final four days easing myself back in, checking it maybe two or three times a day (as opposed to the several hours I’d normally spend on it).
Okay, self-care, reflection, etc…good, good. Way to take care of yourself, Mike? But why do all this in February, of all months? Why not do it in June or September or over the holidays?
Simply put, it just made sense.
First and foremost, one of the reasons I’ve grown somewhat sour on social media is because it tends to make me compare myself to others, which is something I’m trying to get away from. At a time of year when Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year are causes for celebration, I would have been bound to see someone post about one or both of those things, which would risk giving me the impression that their life is better than mine. Second, it’s winter, and it’s cold. You really think I need people posting pictures of snow to remind me of that? I’m from New York. I know all about winter and am perfectly content with spending it inside. If I want to see or feel cold, all I have to do is step outside or open a window. Not to mention my Facebook friends who are bathing in Florida or other tropical locales. It is just about spring break, after all. Third, the coronavirus numbers here in the Czech Republic are not improving and likely won’t for some time. I noticed that I was far too often checking the COVID numbers before anything else when I woke up in the morning. Not a good habit. We should aim to start our days with positivity, not deaths or hospitalizations or the R number. Lastly, it’s the new semester at school, and to enhance my experience and income, I’ve taken on several new classes of late. I wanted to make sure that I start on the right foot with all of my new students, so I needed as few distractions as possible.
The rationale sounded legit. But could I actually do it?
I admit the first couple of days were difficult. It was weird. I felt lost. I felt disconnected. It was like a part of me was missing. My routine had to change dramatically, and for my personality type, a lack of structure leads to a lack of patience which leads to, well, chaos. But somehow, I was able to resist the temptation (I uninstalled Instagram and Snapchat from my phone entirely). I knew it was for the best and that I had to keep going. After all, I had made an announcement on Facebook, and part of the reason I did that was so that I could be held accountable.
I confess that I did cheat for about five minutes when my beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl, but hey, it’s not every day that your sports team wins a championship, right? I simply made my Facebook post (at 4:15 a.m.) and went to bed. No scrolling, no viewing other people’s stories, no liking or commenting on anything. I needed to hold true to at least that part of the deal.
But I certainly couldn’t spend my entire newfound time just watching football. So what else did I do? As I mentioned before, I did a lot of self-care with workouts, meditation, and positive affirmations. I reaffirmed my commitment to making myself attainable weekly goals, which I’ve tried to get some friends to do as well. So much so, in fact, it’s gotten to the point where I actually annoy them. Oh, well, I’m going to keep doing it (whether you guys like it or not, and you know it’s all out of love…and self-improvement), and the social media break gave me the time to think about new and improved goals for the weeks and months ahead. The main goal right now is eating healthier, and with the extra time, I tried some new foods and dishes I don’t eat very often. Bibimbap, anyone?
Moving along on the self-care/self-improvement front, I did a lot of journaling. Pages and pages of it. Putting your thoughts on paper is such a great way to clear the head. I’m also proud to say that I prayed a lot. Before the detox, I had had a great deal on my mind, but opening up to God really helped. Strength, judgment, guidance, and wisdom…all terrific things to pray for. I even found a church near Old Town Square. Full disclosure: During my break, I went to that church twice and prayed while sitting on the steps. In both cases, some good things happened afterwards, so that’s a tradition that I think I’ll continue. On the professional side, I was extremely productive and had a much better attention span. I researched new teaching methods and found some excellent materials for future lessons. Speaking of research, I also spent some time looking into potential future teaching destinations. While I was perusing the globe, I took a glimpse at important international issues. Joe Biden is doing a good job so far! The government here in Prague…not so much.
Overall, it was time well spent. But did it actually teach me any lessons?
Why, yes it did!
Ladies and gentlemen, likes aren’t everything.
In case your eyes might be fluttering in disbelief, let me say that again.
Likes. Aren’t. Everything.
The whole world cannot and should not revolve around posts, stories, memories, and comments. As much as I love socializing and meeting new people, me time is important. I had been feeling kind of run down physically and mentally, so it was a nice opportunity to recharge the batteries as the second half of the school year loomed. It allowed me to think about my future without being negatively influenced by social media posts that might not paint a complete reality. These days, everyone is so glued to technology that they forget about the little things in life. They forget about nature. They forget about small victories. Human interest stories aren’t a thing anymore. You see, social media often makes us focus too much on ourselves, as our posts often draw attention to ourselves. Instead of posting about how amazing your own life is, jump off of social media for a bit and go out into the community to help others. Rather than using Facebook to complain about the world’s problems, take the time to research them or write your senator. You can improve yourself until the cows come home, but what good is it if you don’t have a good and safe community to live in?
Talking of freedom, boy, did I feel a ton of it. To be honest, social media had been stressing me out and wasn’t all that fun anymore. As I said before, I’d fallen into the trap of comparing myself to others. Furthermore, what if I saw a friend or group of friends doing something that they could have invited me to, but left me out of it? Yes, with COVID restrictions, I realize that there isn’t much that can be done right now, but try telling that to someone with anxiety. Was it an irrational fear? Probably. But it still was a fear. There’s also the constant fear, but possibility, of noticing that someone unfriended, unfollowed, or muted you, making you think:
a) What did I do wrong, when it may well have been nothing? and/or:
b) Oh, great, now my friend has an even bigger lead than me in the race for followers.
When I detoxed, I didn’t have to worry about either one of these trivial things. The monkey was off my back. It felt like a vacation.
I’m not saying social media isn’t important and that you should never use it, but there are so many more positive and impactful things you can do with your life. You only get one try, so why not make the most of it? While I am back on social media now, you won’t see me as much as you used to. I enjoyed the time away and found it to be therapeutic. It helped me to step back and look at the world from a different perspective, and I think that with the recent reflection time, this experience will make me a better person. At the end of the day, if we’re not always the best versions of ourselves, who are we and what are we doing here?
Czeching Out the World of TEFL 