How many times have you scrolled frantically through Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, all in an effort to keep up with the information on your news feed? You’re afraid to miss anything that’s being published, and you want to stay on top of things. I know I for one do this frequently. (For some reason it makes me feel…organized. Not sure why.)
It’s taken me a while, and I’ve felt a little frustrated in the process, but I’ve come to the conclusion that we, as humans, can’t really keep up with all social media accounts.
As Live Science says, “The Internet is a busy place. Every second, approximately 6,000 tweets are tweeted; more than 40,000 Google queries are searched; and more than 2 million emails are sent, according to Internet Live Stats, a website of the international Real Time Statistics Project.”
I think at this point, you may not want to worry too much about seeing all the tweets and posts possible.
The summary of my point is this…don’t worry about what you aren’t seeing on Social Media. Don’t be consumed by the images and thoughts bouncing across your screen as you scroll.
Instead, take time to enjoy your time with the people in the place around you.
Put aside the phone and go out and watch the sun set. Replace your before-bed news feed with a real book. Journal instead of replying to tweets.
Besides, the internet gives us a distorted look at life. We see the positive “chirpy” side of people’s lives without looking at the reality of life off-screen. The ups and downs, the ins and outs. It is so much more meaningful to the human experience to have a conversation with someone about how life is actually going. In the end, we will remember the interactions we have with people, not necessarily the ones online.
My challenge for you is to set a priorities list. Give yourself an allotted amount of time on Social Media and the Internet, after you set aside time for the people you care about the most. Call them up, visit them, surprise them. Whatever it is, invest your time and energy in to those around you. In the end, they will be the ones who hold you up longer than any screen would.
-Caitlin
Della says
So well said! I have slowly come to the same conclusion, maybe even a bit stubbornly. Hehe. I have a hard time admitting I cant do it all and keep up with it all. I love how you suggest finding priorities and sticking to them. It also allows for better quality of the social medias you do allow in your day. Thanks for sharing!! I love your blog! 🙂
Caitlin says
Thank you, Della! I think setting priorities now is more important than ever because of how technology-driven we are.
Chelsea says
This is so important, especially for bloggers and those on social media! I have to balance growing my accounts with being in the here and now. It’s tough but when I take a break from technology it feels so much nicer!
Chelsea
Chow Down USA
Instagram
Caitlin says
This is totally something to keep in mind as a blogger. Especially because Blogging can be all-consuming if you let it be! (Also sometimes it’s just too fun, but it’s good to take a break lol)
Roos Ruse says
Oh, the many times I noticed people silently occupying the same places, consumed by devices, oblivious to their surroundings.
Caitlin says
That is definitely a common sight to see. Hopefully enough people will learn to put down their phones every once in a while!