“Hi, my name’s Christen, and I’m addicted to Facebook.”
“Hi, Christen.”
This is how I feel sometimes, as if I should be attending Facebook Anonymous! Accessible from almost every piece of technology, Facebook is no longer a generational networking source; it’s an addiction. It seems everyone has a Facebook and for those of you who don’t, I applaud you and warn you that it contains addictive characteristics. Although I’ve improved immensely on my time spent on Facebook in a given day – I mostly thank my incredibly immense workload and schedule – I find myself happier when I’m away from it!
Consider the following scenario (don’t be embarrassed, we’ve all been there): After sitting at a computer for at least an hour “creeping” on everyone and their mother’s page, you begin to question yourself: “Am I as happy as Sarah? She looks really happy all the time! Why is my own life so lame.” After looking through endless albums of pictures, you walk away from the computer feeling like utter shi … well, you know.
Please, please remember this key point: People want to portray an image that their life is perfect via Facebook, from pictures, statuses and the like. Is she probably living a more amazing, happy life than you are? No, probably not. So here are a few tips and tools to keep your attention elsewhere, because let’s be real, there is so much more to life than Facebook!
Change your homepage settings.
A lot of us have our homepage set to Facebook, so as soon as we open up our browser, Facebook pops up and we can log in right away. (Most of the time when I had Facebook as my homepage, I would login and completely forget why I was on the computer in the first place.) Start at the source: Change your homepage to Google or a news site to search and seek for new interests!
Download Self Control or Leechblock.
These applications and add-ons are created for instances just like this! Type in Facebook’s website URL and set a time for how long you want to block yourself from the site. Then try entering Facebook from your computer. It’s completely blocked until the time runs out. Granted, you can still access it from your cellphone, but don’t! This is especially good when at the library, working on your computer and you can’t help but keep a Facebook tab open. Self Control really works! Download it; it’s free!
Subscribe to a blog or check out other fun sites.
Blogs are the newest public diaries written from all walks of life. Some provide great tips on things you may be interested in while others just provide funny videos or pictures. My favorite is Cupcakes and Cashmere. If you’re into fashion, cooking, or interior decorating, check it out! Also, take a gander at other sites like DearBlankPleaseBlank.com. You’ll find yourself rolling on the floor laughing at some of their posts, and the best part, you can contribute by writing your own funny phrase!
Take home message: Facebook isn’t the only site you should be visiting. There’s so much more on the Internet it’s insane. Find that inner will power and put Facebook on the back burner for now — life will go on, I promise.