I wasn't a big FaceBook user until around 2013 when I started my own small business. It grew pretty quickly and I found myself on social media nearly all the time. For about two years, I worked constantly, trying to grow my business through social media. Although I was successful, I found that I had pretty much become addicted to being on my phone. It wasn't that I wanted to be on there all of the time (quite the opposite), but I felt like I had to (in case of emergencies or someone needed me).
Fast forward to sometime in the Fall of 2015. I was at a business event and heard someone talking about the same issue of being constantly "on". They said something that really stuck with me. It went along the lines of "We are in the business of essential oils...no one is going to die if we don't respond for 24 hours." It was as if I had just been given permission to chill out. So, my New Years resolution that winter was to stop working when Ironman gets home from work and to stop taking my iPhone into my bedroom at night.
I'm excited to say that I did pretty good during 2016!
I only took my iPhone to my bedroom one night that entire year (and it was because of something important although I can't remember why now!). I found that I was able to get better sleep. I would read or talk to Ironman until I fell asleep at night, instead of scroll FaceBook. And in the morning, instead of wake up and immediately browse FaceBook, I would lay in bed and give myself time to think and have some quiet time. Plus, no more waking up during the night and mindlessly scrolling when I couldn't sleep. It was amazing and I'm never again taking my iPhone to bed with me at night. I know many people use their phones as alarm clocks...just do yourself a favor, buy an alarm clock and keep your bedroom a peaceful place of rest.
As for stopping my work when Ironman got home from work...that was a little harder. Sometimes I still find myself hopping on FaceBook to quickly answer a message, or replying to that email, or answering that text. Many times, we even end up having meetings and events online at night that I don't want to miss. So, although I am still working on this area, I have really improved! This means that instead of just sitting next to Ironman on the couch and doing my own thing, we are doing more together...talking, eating dinner, watching something on Netflix, going on a bike ride. It's not perfect, but I'm headed in the right direction.
So, since I loved my 2016 resolutions so much, I decided I wanted to up my game for 2017.
I deleted FaceBook and FaceBook Messenger from my iPhone! It has been absolutely wonderful. When I am ready to get to work and catch up on things, I get on FaceBook on my laptop. I don't miss doing it all on my iPhone at all and have found my that stress levels have really gone down. Plus, I noticed that I was on FaceBook on my phone way more than I thought. One day in December, while Ironman and I were shopping together, he kept going in and out of the dressing room to try on clothes. Every single time he went inside the room and shut the door, I reached down in my purse, pulled out my phone and tried to open FaceBook. Repeatedly I would remember that I had told him that I would stay off of FaceBook and I would laugh at myself and put my iPhone back down into my purse. But, after doing that 3 times in a row within about 10 minutes, I knew that I had a problem. I realized that anytime I had downtime, I went straight for my iPhone. Standing in line at the post office. Waiting on someone at Starbucks. While Ironman was trying on clothes in the dressing room. It was an addiction...I didn't even know I was doing it. So, I knew that I had to do something about it. It's been 19 days without using FaceBook on my iPhone and I haven't missed it a bit. Also, when I get on my laptop to work, I find that I am much more focused and use my time more wisely.
I know that it can be scary to set boundaries, but I truly believe that boundaries are good for us. It keeps relationships healthy. It reduces stress levels. It improves work flow. Plus, for me at least, it helps me free up more time for reading and doing other things that I enjoy!
What is an area where you need a boundary?
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