Giving up Facebook has allowed more me time.

1. One Less Chore
Over the past several weeks I’ve been free. Facebook free! This occurred after my wife decided to free
herself from this technology chore. As a technologist, I embrace technology and love being connected.
But when is there too much connectedness? Even spouses need to go to their corner once in a while. I
used to tell my children no texting at the table. They would say “but Dad you do it”. “Yes, but I’m being
paid to be on 7x24x365 and responding to this text allows your next meal”.
We all have chores. I’m not sure any of us would say we like them. Whether it’s taking an hour or two
each weekend to cut the lawn, do the laundry, take out the dog or have people over who perhaps are
not really people you want to entertain but feel you have to. We all do things that steal our time and
add little to no value.
So I began to track my most time consuming activities in my day. Those activities, other than work,
which adds tremendous value by allowing me food, shelter and clothing at 8 hours a day. Then I added
my daily 3-4 hour commute. Half my day is consumed by work and commuting, but what about those
other things. As a volunteer firefighter and EMT I set my own schedule fitting in hours on the weekends
or overnight to help my community. Then I started tracking Facebook time. I concluded that with 12
hours already consumed with work and commuting and add 7 hours sleep, I only have 5 hours of me
time every day. Those 5 hours has to allow me time to share myself with my family including two dogs.
Never mind if the toilet overflows or the drain is clogged, there goes that personal time.
I identified that 2+ hours a day was spent surfing Facebook even when watching TV. It got to the point
of feeling compelled to like or comment on even the most trivial posts. On holidays and birthdays I have
to post on Facebook Happy whatever, when I don’t even send cards. Don’t get me wrong, I care for my
Facebook friends, but do they care for me? Soon after deactivating my account I had only one of one
hundred friends reach out and ask is everything okay “since they hadn’t seen me on Facebook”. 1:100
wow! Every one of these “friends” has access to my email and cell number. I used to have over 200
Facebook friends but scaled back earlier this year. I saw two categories, the real friends and the fake
friends. Those who are friends because they know and care for you and the nosy friends who want to
know about your life. Well my Facebook life has been peaches and cream just like everyone else. I find
Facebook similar to Second Life. Second Life was a virtual world where one could create their perfect
avatar experience. Facebook for some has become a way for people to portray their “perspectives”. I
never saw a post that said little Johnny failed his Bio class or Mary was arrested for DUI. Instead, the
post was twisted that Little Johnny decided to take fewer classes and it will take another semester for
him to graduate or Mary is doing fine, doing what teenagers do, that crazy kid but life is good.
So I’ve decided to go on Facebook hiatus. I may be back after a few months but as of now I have no
desire. I feel like I have a monkey off my back. I feel I have one less chore. After cutting the grass my
phone remains off. I come in and kick-back, doing the things I want to do and not feeling guilty that
forgot to wish someone a Facebook Happy Birthday. So to my Facebook friends, I’m doing great and the
family is fine! If you want to reach me you know how. May your Facebook life be as fulfilling as your real
life.