What I learned from being social media free

by Jessica Bass February 4, 2021

2020.

Covid.

Running a business.

Mothering.

The Derecho.

Virtual schooling.

Married to an entrepreneur.

These were the major weights I carried in 2020, not including the bigger picture of growing racial tensions, a deadly and global pandemic, and the reality of a tense presidential election.

"We are all carrying personal and collective burdens that are old and new"

2020 was a wild year in more ways than one, and we are all carrying personal and collective burdens that are old and new. It was heavy. It still is heavy.

Nearing the end of the year, I was tired and stress. I couldn't keep up with all the demands on my time, and I knew I needed a break. I decided to step away from my business and the social media interaction that came with it for at least the month of December.

It ended up being about 45 days.

I realize I'm in a privileged position to be able to take a break from my business since my family doesn't rely on it to support us, but it still felt tricky. The highest demand for our Big Cotton blankets is in the last few months of the year, so I knew I would miss out on sales. To me, it was worth it, and I knew I needed a plan to make it work fo me and my customers. I set a last-day-to-order date and asked for help. I stuck to my plan, and it was helpful, exciting, empowering, and freeing to do so.

Taking a planned break from creating and selling was a little odd, but the real kicker was the break from social media.

I knew it was going to be difficult since social media was a part of my everyday life. It was how I shared my business, connected with other creatives, followed current events, caught up with friends, and spent a significant chunk of my day and mental energy. I also knew it was necessary and that it would be rewarding. However, I didn't realize I would learn so much about myself and my relationship with my phone in the process.

Below are the revelations I had during my social media hiatus. I plan to go into more detail in future blog posts, but these are the highlights:

1. I desire my phone for distraction, connection, and entertainment.

2. I use my phone to numb discomfort.

3. If I don't have social media, what is my phone even offering me?

4. Reading a book is more work than scrolling social media.

5. I missed connecting through social media, but I had more time to actually connect without it.

6. Without social media, I consumed more stories than headlines.

7. I didn't create much, but I did sleep more.

Do any of these resonate with you? If so, which? They are in no particular order, just a collection of thoughts as I processed my time. I will use your feedback to help direct me to the first topic I dive into for my next post!

Until then, stay cozy, creative, and kind :)

Jessica