Spending Less Time on Facebook Has Proven to be a Double Edged Sword

Since the start of the year I have been making a conscious effort to spend less time on Facebook. Straight away, from January 1^st, I closed my nearly constant second tab on my internet browser. I no longer open Facebook as soon as I turn on my laptop, nor do I have it open all day long at work.

I open it up maybe three times a day. I check my messages, maybe post something, and then I close it down.

It is freaking awesome!

I never realized just how much time I lost to Facebook every day. I mean, I know I used to use it a lot, but I never understood what a productivity drain it was.

I find myself with so much more time on my hand that I actually have a handle on my writing. By that, I mean I am keeping up with my mind on the fiction front, working on two novels and a short story whenever the mood takes me, without any fear of falling behind. I am keeping up with my self-imposed blogging schedule (a new post every other day – reblogs not included), and am already sorted through to the end of March with one of my regular freelance writing gigs – writing blog posts for two different adult themed sites – and I have even been able to take on a second client.

This has been a huge factor as to why I am at 60,000 words for the month. At work I am getting so much more done also. Which is great as I am settling into my new position and need to figure out how to make myself as indispensable in this placement as I was in my previous one.

HOWEVER….

The lack of Facebook time has come at a price. Or so I am starting to believe.

My platform, the one I have been working to build for the last four years has been shaken. It has taken a battering by my decision to take a step back. This semi-withdrawal has been social media wide, but Facebook was always far above the others in terms of usage.

The first place I can see this is here, on this blog. I still share my posts throughout social media, but I fear that my reduced online presence is nullifying this effort. It would make sense, nobody wants to pay attention to somebody whose social presence is based predominantly around blog post sharing and links. That is so impersonal.

Here comes the twist.

What would anything I write be without a good twist at the end?

While I have cut back on my Facebook time, I am attempting to use the moments I am online more wisely. I am seeking out interaction with others. I am, actually, spending more time interacting with others on their posts and comment feeds than my own. Part of this is because I seem to get better interaction on other people’s posts than my own. I am sure that says something else about the effectiveness of the platform I convince myself I have built, but that is a discussion for another day.

I am enjoying my interaction on Facebook, and I feel better for connecting with people. I have had more interesting conversations on Facebook this month than I had for the majority of last year. But once again, this does not always mean my effort is being seen by those who were not directly involved.

It would seem that by reducing my Facebook time and using it more wisely, I have damaged what I had built.

I am telling myself that this was because what I had built was fragile, and tower based on a crumbling foundation. This soothes me because it also means that this current lull is nothing to fear. It is me taking a step back to relay my foundation. To come back stronger, and smarter. This is just a period of transition, and that is a much nicer theory than anything else I have come up with this week.

I am enjoying my new approach to life, I feel better, and at the end of the day, that is the name of the game.

I am in this for the long haul, and have not yet begun to define myself.

Thanks for reading.