I Have An Addiction

It takes over my life, becomes my priority and puts my family second. I also feel like I don’t have enough friends, don’t have enough great clothes, am not thin enough, have a sloppy house and never have enough people interested in me.

I’m addicted to social media.

While there are negatives that come along with checking my phone every 30 seconds (I’m almost not kidding), there are also a ton of positives. I’ve connected with old friends I would have never been in touch with without Facebook. I’ve met people who have become quick friends via Instagram and have met local cool people via Twitter. While that all sounds super-crazy, it’s true and they are important parts of my life. Social media has made my business possible (you likely saw this post via one of our social media accounts) and has brought us all together in a way we can interact without living close by or even having met face-to-face.

All of this is really awesome but I’m losing touch with my life. I have to do something to post about it.

Smartphone users have developed what they call “checking habits”

— repetitive checks of e-mail and other applications such as Facebook.

The checks typically lasted less than 30 seconds and were often done within 10 minutes of each other.

On average, the study subjects checked their phones 34 times a day,

not necessarily because they really needed to check them that many times,

but because it had become a habit or compulsion.

– Source: CNN and hiit.fi

I’ve had one fight with my mom in my adult life. It centered around my obsession with checking my phone. My mom and I never fight. I have been missing out on precious time with my son (that I’ll NEVER get back) and we have phones at the dinner table.

Now that I’m looking from the outside in. I’m not happy with what I’m reading. What is WRONG with me?

If anyone else was writing this, I’d think you were ridiculous and completely out of control. Well, news flash. I am.

According to the Mobile Mindset Study conducted by security app Lookout,

58 percent of U.S. smartphone owners check their phones at least every hour.

A large share check their phones while in bed or in the bathroom.

I have this certain something in me that HAS to do everything in my power to see to it that people are recognized. I take it a bit too far. For example: On my birthday, I responded to every Facebook wish. I respond to comments on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter within seconds. Minutes is almost too long. My email inbox is just about clear every day.

This obsession has got to stop.

If I can wait on a response, so can the people who write me.

I mean this in the best way. I want you to have high expectations of me. I have them of myself. I hate to fail. I’m competitive, a perfectionist and always want the best. Looking at the reality of how I’ve been functioning – I’m failing.

That kills me.

While all of this is rolling around in my head, Mama Laughlin posted this blog.

via Mama Laughlin

That’s all it took.

It’s time to focus on my family, free up some time to actually work out and not sit here getting fat looking at other people get fit. I can post pictures but it doesn’t have to be immediate.

(Yes, I just went there)

I’ve basically been creating a freaking reality show via social media. What am I doing now? What am I thinking now? Just check any one of my bajillion accounts and you’ll know.

I’m not going to be any less connected, I just need to set some boundaries. (I hate setting boundaries and budgets. Apparently I’m not good with B words – well, one I’m fine with).

I’m putting my phone down and not checking Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Keek, Vine and the blogs I read religiously (see here to see a select few). I can do this. Breathe. In…out…in…HANDMEAPAPERBAG!!!

With this new-found time, I’ll get on a schedule-ish, probably find out that my son (4 years old) has already applied to college and that my husband has been trying to tell me a story since the beginning of MySpace (duh, of course I had an account). Maybe I’ll have time to stop obsessing over how great others look in their clothes and spend my social media time working out to look great in mine. What a concept.

From 6pm-6am Central, I will not be connected.

Can I ask you a favor?

Please don’t post anything funny, interesting or cool during that time. If you’re not in my time zone, you’d better believe I’ll be blowin’ up your feeds bright and early in the morning!

After just one day, I’m finding that I’m having a hard time “missing out”. Nobody ever wants to be the only person not invited to a party. That’s how it feels being disconnected.

Turns out, I’ve got a party right here that I’ve been invited to but didn’t care to show up. I’m a crappy guest but I can make some great appetizers and give good gifts. Just sayin’.

What have I gained?

Day #1: Game time with my son (first time ever), a clean kitchen, finished taxes, full night sleep and new ideas.

Would this be something you’d take on as a challenge?

*This post was listed in Motivating Monday