Who here has quit social media?

[Longinus]

It's not making me feel bad and I'm not addicted, so I don't have a problem with it.

Maybe you should rather question why it's making you feel bad. Maybe just deleting it will lead to some other behavior.

 

[Zimbizee]

I truly believe that social media addiction amongst the youth of today is the main reason for the rampant rise in mental health decline of said folks. The constant comparison against their peers which for the most part is exaggerated, fake with the fomo.

When i was a child of the 70's/80's we were happy go lucky youths enjoying life. Everywhere i look now there's scores of folks with mental health problems. I think the age of the smartphone/apps/social media etc has a lot to answer for. Don't get me wrong it's an age like no other but i sometimes wish for the days before all this tech

 

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[Andy Black]

I tried to take the first step by limiting my news feed to posts from Facebook Pages and groups only but not succeeded to do this without removing all my 'friends' or by manually excluding each person. Does anyone know if this is possible?

I’ve had the “Newsfeed Eradicator” Chrome extension on my desktop for a couple of years. It means I only see stuff I go looking for. Not quite the same but it’s a good start.

 

[Fox]

I do not use social media, but if I do eventually get a business started, it would be wise to use it for marketing in business.

I’ll still use YouTube which I really like and which is connected to my biz. I find it very valuable and I know people get a lot from the content I put up. Also it’s super challenging (video editing, speaking skills et) so it pushes me a lot.

I used to have a massive FB group which was somewhat connected to my biz but I shut that down. Instagram has always just been for personal use.

So for me the apps I want to fully get away from are IG and FB.

 

[Fox]

This is where I'm at. Putting up with it until it makes sense to hire someone else to do it.

I got my first smart phone 2 years ago just so I could use the business Instagram.

I don't even like having the phone, even though I've got basically no apps on there anymore.

@Fox You will have more inner peace, guaranteed. I quit facebook 5 or 6 years ago.

Make an effort to replace all digital communication with in person, or a video call.


In Digital Minimalism, Newport suggests that all digital communication is virtually worthless as far as moving-the-needle for any personal relationships. Is actually harmful, because you are then less likely to interact with that person in a different way.

After reading the book, I now refuse to have text/chat convos with anyone anymore, and only use them for logistical purposes (i.e. where u at?)

Ordering that now - I think @Andy Black mentioned it before.

 

[Deleted74396]

Quit instagram for a year and a month so far. I need to get back on to make cash but social media does my mental health no good

 

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[MattR82]

I thought about it a few times but it would be such a shame for me to lose such easy contact with people I met traveling.

Instead I changed how I used it. Facebook now is almost purely for groups that I learn from and has seriously improved my life in that way.

Instagram I use for fun, follow a lot of comedians etc. Any friends of mine that post lame shallow bikini travel pics or show off shit with no point I just unfollow. I really like the people I follow and engage with now so it's more of a positive experience for me.

 

[AndreHimself]

I've been off social media for 3+ years. Best thing I've ever done. I don't have as many "friends" anymore but I know who my true friends are now. I don't feel the need to get on my phone and go on social media the second I get bored. It feels like you have much more time in a day when in reality it's the same amount, you're just using it more efficiently. I have a much clearer head and it's easier to focus on a task because I'm not bogged down by all this useless information. Not to mention all the depression and anxiety that's caused by constantly comparing your life with others on social media. I hope this was helpful.

 

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[PizzaOnTheRoof]

How I imagine career social media users:



There’s something about Gary Vees content that just irks me. I don’t accept that you can’t grow a business without posting 100 (he literally says 100) pieces of unique content per day.

Easy to do when you’re a client of your own Top 3, 750 employee marketing agency.

If you’re an internet entrepreneur, yes... not a Productocracy...

 

[DeletedUser0287]

Just deleted Instagram and blocked YouTube. How do you guys stop watching videos?

Why would you ever block YouTube? It’s a huge knowledge base that you are blocking. A decent chunk of technical knowledge all comes from YouTube.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Here is my account on Parler, please follow if you have an account!

https://parler.com/profile/MJDeMarco/

 

[Sanj Modha]

I only use FB because I need the account to run FB/IG ads.

I'm not on IG, Pinterest, Snapchat or TikTok. I don't need a daily reminder of what you had for lunch.

 

[MattR82]

I recently had to take a part time job that involves going through all social media posts, comments, mentions etc for a major European company.

I never had twitter, but it absolutely dwarfs Facebook for it's negativity. I would say negative/weird interactions is probably about 20x

The weirdest thing I've noticed is how many people seem to be talking to themselves on Twitter. They post a hundred things with no likes, retweets, replies. I see hundreds like this per day and am surprised to see even one with a reply.

The Ukraine Russia conflict has also bedn been interesting to follow reactions. No matter what the company does, EVERYONE is pissed. Even if what they were demanding ie pull out of Russia, was done, the majority still want a boycott. Cancel culture is going nowhere...

Anyway, I deleted rather than deactivated my social media a few years ago and I definitely recommend everyone do it to detox from that shit.

I made a new fb and IG about 9 months back with a landscape picture and fake name but only use it for necessary things like marketplace or one or 2 groups. It hasn't yet turned into a problem. Zucks will still know it's you though of course no matter what email or device you use lol.

The shit is F*cking evil. But the positive thing I've experienced from this job is that I don't get the slightest bit wound up about anything I see on social media now. I can see they're all completely bonkers. May as well go and argue with the wasted homeless guy at the bus shelter yelling about Jesus.

 

[Ing]

I know that.
Trackyour FB habits and do only what you enjoy.

I closed my account many years ago. 2 years after I got a new one and needed another yeas to get the good „friends „ again.

I would stay and focos on what s useful for you.

 

[Ismail941]

I don't post that much.
But the smart move is to leverage it for the business/project to get leads
Some of the FB groups are helpful.
Social Media is a Prospecting Tool for the business/project. Ads are great if you have money in your hand.

Some guys who post content in fb groups as growth hacking and get leads as invisible lol - they came up with this name growth hacking.

 

[Falconerd]

I have deleted my Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. I still have Twitter, though I do not scroll it - I just need an account to easily see content.

I find myself to be much happier when not playing the comparison game on Instagram.

Unfortunately I will have to install these apps again when the next marketing push starts (unless I hire a SMM)

 

[Smuggo]

I use mostly Messenger. FB only for groups or to interact with invitations or some private meetings.

The IG is actually making me more motivated. I follow mostly educational stuff or kitesurfing posts so I can watch awesome videos or get some useful tips from other people.

 

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[Andy Black]

Ordering that now - I think @Andy Black mentioned it before.

Yeah... there was a great podcast I listened to about it. I think I dropped it in here as a thread somewhere. My biggest takeaway is that this generation is the first generation ever to never have solitude.

 

[Hassassin]

@Fox

It's funny you bring this topic up. I'm writing an article on entrepreneurship/depression , and There's an actual causal link between social media use and depression /anxiety.

An excerpt:

"How am I stacking up?’ or ‘How is my life stacking up?’ compared to what these people are presenting. I think that what happens is that the more you use the platforms, the more social comparisons tend to induce, and that relates to these decrements in how people are feeling.” — Oscar Ybarra, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan

There’s a causal link between social media, depression and loneliness. Measuring yourself against the glitzy achievements of others dims your own sense of self-worth. It makes it nearly impossible to feel content."

Link:Social Media Increases Depression and Loneliness

 

[Choate]

I deleted my social media years ago. However, this month I made a new Facebook and LinkedIn. Facebook for ads and pages. But I'm already reconsidering LinkedIn. It's self-aggrandizing, bloated, and has never actually been meaningful to me. You make connections, but so what? It's no different than Facebook except the content is curated to be more professional.

Speaking of Facebook, it's really strange. Like, I full on deleted my old one from their system. Despite that, my new Facebook is recommending "People You May Know" - distant cousins that live in another state, girls I went on 1-2 dates with years ago, far off acquaintances from college, and my really close friend group from high school that I no longer keep in touch with. All this despite registering under a new phone number (with none of these contacts in there). It's almost as if Facebook never really deletes your data.

What I need to stay away from is Reddit.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dibarTMBCag

 

[jaypi]

I haven't used FB in 4-5 years and IG in several months religiously. It was because of this realization that I was just being an attention whore posting for likes.

The big problem I had with the absence of social media was that I substituted my time I earned with YouTube. Instead of posting for likes, I find myself binge watching mindless internet humor clips.

The experience is lonely though. Most of my friends are posting their life on FB/IG via text and/or pictures while I'm elsewhere on a different platform. Refraining from those apps has distant myself from them.

However, I'm used to it. As my friends and I got older our priorities have shifted; my good friends are either married and/or have kids, or screwing around and enjoying life while they're still young. Losing contact with them helped me shift where my focus needed to be so I could head towards where I want to be in life.

After all, people come in go, even some of your closest friends.

At the end of it all, it's how you compensate your time you earned when you step away from social media. If you used that extra time building yourself, business, craft, etc. then obviously that's a step towards the right direction. Leaving social media could be a personal sacrifice, though, if used to 'keep in contact with your social circle.'

 

[Legacyy]

Didn´t quit it completely, but been experimenting with an app that puts a timer on the social media apps and blocks it when I hit my daily timer. It made me shockingly aware of the amount of time that I´ve spent...

 

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[PureA]

I truly believe that ridding yourself of social media is one of the biggest business advantages you can give yourself.

I have a lot to say on this subject, it is something I feel strongly about, but il (try) keep it short.

SM is literally 'distraction training' - the opposite of meditation. Mcds for the brain. You are plugged in, you are an addict. Billions of $$$ is spent making your brain as engaged as possible.

Imagine if smartphones and SM were a white powder instead of a physical object...

The zombie like effects, the compulsive use, the skyrocketing anxiety, depression, suicide numbers since 2011...

What does constant SM use take?

- Ability to focus
- Motivation (dopa spike, dopa spike, dopa spike. Brain: "why would I work on anything meaningful, like business when I get heightened rewards for a simple swipe")
- Time (HOURS A DAY)
- Deep work/play (You ability for depth is decreased, you checking your phone every 0-30mins keeps you working at an inefficient surface level)
- Energy (notice how you feel after SM use)
- Perspective (everyone under 20 has lambos and mansions!)
- It can take the reins of your life. (You do things just to 'get the picture'.)

The brain is great at tricking itself too...

"Aaaah, I would quit but I needed to connect with grandma/old friends"
"Everyone has it. I dont use it that much"

^Pretty poor examples, but just know your brain is great at generating rationalisations when trying to remove a constant and daily source of instant gratification and dopamine.

What's the good news?

99% of people being compulsive users gives you a huge advantage if you can manage yourself...

I'm sure people crush and use social 24/7/365 sure, and every truth is but a half truth...

BUT

People crush biz whilst being 300lbs..
People crush biz being coke addicts..
etc etc

Do you want to make your success harder than it needs to be?

If there was a pill that mimicked the brain effects of taking you from:

social media using you -> non social media using you.. It would be on the frontpage of every newspaper and people would be paying $$$$$$$$$ for it.

Try dropping it for 30 days... Log the changes... You'll never go back.

 

[James Klymus]

I usually have my facebook deactivated and my instagram deleted off my phone. I realized one day that basically every second of free time I had, I would pick up the phone and just start browsing around.

That freaked me out, so I deleted the apps off my phone. Then when I had a moment of free time, I didn't know what to do, and I had the urge to go browse still. I would browse through my email and even check my weather app. It was really strange.

But after a while I found that I got used to it, and I stopped getting the urge to scroll facebook every 5 minutes.

Like I said earlier, it freaked me out because this was probably the only real negative addiction I've had in my life. I didn't want to be on social media, but I still went on it. Even when I was on the apps, I would think, "This is stupid, I don't care about what my friends from high school are doing."

Speaking of high school friends on social media, Another reason I wanted to get off is because a ton of people are starting to get married, buy houses, buy new cars, take lavish trips, have kids, work corporate jobs etc. and I found my self questioning my own entrepreneurial path.

Like it's been said before, we're looking at peoples highlight reels on social media, and I don't think it's good for my mind to be looking at slam dunks constantly while I'm over here missing 3's and fumbling the ball.

If you find your self focusing more on other people's lives than your own, I think it's time to get off social media and worry about your own life. It is VERY addictive, and it is designed to be that way. FB, Insta, and especially tiktok now are made to keep you scrolling. It's a distraction at best and an extreme addiction at worst, And I don't like either of those outcomes.

Lastly, I don't know if there is even a responsible use of social media. Why the hell would any one care what restaurant I'm at, or that I got new shoes? I certainly don't care about what other people are doing, yet I would keep scrolling.

I think the most responsible way to use it is only by using it on the computer, downloading an extension to block your feed so that you can't get sucked in and scroll, and using the ads platform, and/or keeping in touch with your customers within a group you create. Beyond that, I don't see a practical use, for entrepreneurs especially.

 

[eliquid]

I never got into social media personally.

I just didn't get it.

I didn't care what other people did, and I for sure in the hell didn't want them knowing my business.

The only thing to ever suck me into anything was Youtube. I don't consider that social media though.

I see my kids and wife sucked into social media and their cell phones. I still don't get it, but I know how harmful it can be.

 

[Bhanu]

Social media , Main stream media is absolute trash . Avoid it . Just to give an example I just checked newspaper and twitter(I do not have an account) . Whole day I did not check anything .News trending there :

- Some lunatic burnt a girl because she refused to marry him. That lunatic is already married with a 6 month old daughter.
- A particular community member had to leave their homes because they were threatened .
- Same crappy political mudslinging .
Not 1 uplifting news

A fine day ruined lol. I was much better before reading this trash . Its better to spend time on FL Forum or read blog from Cal Newport,Seth Godin,Mark cuban or listen to an Audiobook .

 

[Meerten]

I use these:

News Feed Eradicator for Facebook
Facebook Marketplace Ad Remover

No more distractions and junk in my head.
.. But, I keep the messaging and events systems.

It is now exactly how I want it: I use Facebook.
Not the other way around.

I highly recommend this if you're on the fence of terminating your Facebook.
As you can always disable these blockers again, and nothing is lost.

 

[Kay__]

Misuse social media and you end up lacking BOTH solitude AND community.

Use it properly to connect with clients, with friends overseas, and get vital information (especially over FB or twitter).. It’s not a bad thing!

 

[Vigilante]

I was looking for a guy named Warren Buffett on Instagram and Facebook but he is not there. Probably he is quite poor and sad, because business and happiness in 21st Century are great if you are on Socials

https://twitter.com/warrenbuffett?lang=en

”It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffett