How to Get off Facebook for real
A few years ago I heard a lot of this:
I wish I could get rid of Facebook but I can't.
I want to delete Facebook but I don't see photos of my family friends or grandkids if I do.
I would delete Facebook but it's not that bad, I like it too much
You know what I hear? Disempowerment.
Facebook has leached itself into society and latched onto our lives. We think we can’t get off of it because everyone else is on it. We don't want to be loners or losers who don't have the hot new technology or platform.
To purposefully delete Facebook is to ostracize ourselves from society.
But I want to remind you, that wasn't always the case.
You have lived without it. You have seen photos of your grandkids or family or friends in other ways. You have lived without seeing what everyone else is doing. (And you were probably able to focus and have more meaningful conversations with others at that point in time due to Facebook and phones not disrupting our attention constantly.)
So to say you wish you could, but won't is giving up your power to Facebook and your phone.
I want you to live for yourself – not Facebook.
I want you to make decisions that are best for you – not society or Big Tech’s pockets.
You CAN delete Facebook if you want to, if you choose to.
How? Ask yourself:
Do I truly want to get off Facebook or not?
What would happen if I left? Who would be upset?
Who do I make sure I stay in touch with?
How can I better stay in touch with them?
Can you email or text photos instead?
What will be missing in your life if you get rid of Facebook? (staying up-to-date, photos, news articles AND ALSO anxiety, FOMO, distractions, bad sleep).
It’s a mentality to quit. It’s like quitting smoking. It may be scary to tell people what you’re doing, but you can do it if you want to.
You can start small:
Delete the Facebook app off your phone. See how many times you go to check. Check it on a browser or another device on your time.
Only check it certain times of day and 30 minutes not before bed.
Start backing up your photos and take them off Facebook.
Start telling people you’re leaving.
Deactivate your account - this option allows you to come back later if you choose to (but you may not want to).