Alternate title: “I’m addicted to my iPhone and I needed an intervention!”
Oh. my. word. This weekend showed me SO many things about myself. The first being – I’m addicted to Instagram. Facebook, I could take or leave you. But Instagram, oh buddy. You hold a special place in my needy, social interaction-craving heart. I started this analog weekend off on Friday morning and ended it on Sunday night (after I was just SO eager to see what everyone got for Mother’s Day). I have several observations/confessions:
1. I CHEATED!
I did check Instagram and Facebook a couple (I think like 3) times throughout the weekend. To my credit, I checked when I was ALONE, meaning the kids were with my mom or Travis was doing something. I feel a little less guilty about it since my cheating wasn’t taking time away from the people around me (which was the point to begin with). But still – I didn’t go the entire weekend strictly offline. Wah wah.
2. I’m a snoopy snoop!
It’s why I read blogs. It’s why if you put an open diary in front of me, 100% of the time I would read it. I like looking into other people’s lives. And I love Instagram for this very reason. Looking at pictures of people and their food, dogs, houses, workouts. I love it all. I felt a little out of the loop with my online friends this weekend. (If anything big happened, let me know!)
3. Sometimes I use social media to BRAG.
Short story time: On Saturday morning at 7:51am (as I was checking Facebook, ahem), I saw this status from my friend, Diedre:
A race? For the pregnancy care center? I’m intrigued. The race started in NINE MINUTES. So like any sane person, I jumped out of bed, brushed my teeth, put clothes on and drove quickly to the start line (which was like 2 minutes from my house). The race director actually HELD the race for me so that I could register and pay. Ha!
I ran.
I raced.
I WON.
And I wanted so so badly to tell you guys on Instagram and Facebook. I almost did. But when I thought about it and thought about my motives, I knew I couldn’t. First, I’d be cheating (again). And second, I kinda wanted to BRAG. Not “share” or “inspire”. I wanted to brag about what I’d done. And that’s just not ok with me.
If I learned anything over this analog weekend, it’s that I need to think through my motives before I post online (think before doing – a novel idea). Why am I REALLY showing you a picture of myself? If it’s to brag or ask for some kind of attention, I want no part of it.
4. I need to do this more often.
Not only was I more present, which has been my New Year’s resolution for two years running, but I found time to do things that needed to be done. I hadn’t realized just how much time I was spending online! Too much.
Instead, I painted with my husband…
I hung out with my kids ….
I had some “girl time”….
I got outside…
I found time to READ…
And I was lavished in Mother’s Day gifts…
5. There must be a balance.
And this is where I’m left pondering. How much time online is TOO much time? Should I go back to my old-school phone? (The iPhone was pretty darn boring when just used as a phone.) Where is the good, happy medium between living online and off?
I’m on a quest to find out. And in the end, if I feel like this pursuit of social media/blogging isn’t enriching my life or my family’s life, I’ll have to stop.
QUESTION: Do you spend too much time online? How do you know if you are?
desperately seeking balance…lindsay
congrats on your win, that is awesome!! Finding a balance is SO HARD. I don’t know how I ever managed in the days before my iphone but somedays I wish I didn’t have it because I just cannot stop myself…..
Twitter and facebook I couldn’t care less about, but IG is SO addictive. However, I came to a realization that I care more about posting my OWN pictures (and receiving that validation for them)than looking at other people’s most of the time. Hello, narcissism! I, too, need to make sure I am blogging and posting pics and everything for the right reasons, and not just to make sure someone knows how awesome I am. Because it should be enough that I know it, right?
Plus, I am crazy with making sure my IG photos are pretty and edited and that takes SO. MUCH. TIME.
Gaah, I love that race story. That is hilarious and so YOU. Congrats! I’m with you on IG being the most addictive or fun or whatever. I go for weeks without signing on to facebook, and months without looking at twitter, but I have to check IG at least once a day (although my “phone” ran out of battery at my dad’s house this weekend, so I was without it for a few days as well. It was kind of nice.)
See you soooon.
I love the idea of an analog weekend and I really need to force myself to do that.
What a great concept. I vaguely remember the days before smartphones came along and we felt the need to be constantly in touch.
Sometimes I find facebook to be not such a great place for my mood. I deleted the app off my phone for a while, but found that I was still getting on. :/ Gotta find that discipline.
Thanks for sharing with us and motivating me to give it another try. <3
Okay, I have to say I think it’s AMAZING that you found out about a race 9 minutes before it’s start and WON it – congrats on being awesome! I’m sure that win meant so much to you for several different reasons.
And if you want a look into someone’s diary – I posted a page from diary this morning. No joke. ;)
First, congrats!! Second – I resemble the whole social media stuff.. I am trying to figure it out & how to cut back.. You are not alone!
There’s such a fine line between bragging and just being proud/wanting to inspire…it’s a touchy line and I know what you mean about not wanting to cross into that bragging side!
I really appreciate how honest you are about using social media to brag!! I find so many bloggers “share” their achievements and cloak it in the altruistic front of providing “inspiration.” I think it’s awesome to celebrate your achievements with friends, but like you said, take an extra moment to really understand and acknowledge any extra motives. Great recap :) (PS if I don’t pop back in his space before the weekend, good luck with Blend, have a blast, and please get more tattoos. I’ll be snooping on Instagram!)
Awesome job Lindsay! That’s a great idea…not posting things if you feel you’re doing it for attention and recognition. It’s great to be aware of something like that. I need an analog weekend lol. :)
That is awesome that you won. Too cool.
Yes, I spend way too much time online and I’m also very aware of how much I do it in front of the little one. Time is precious and I want her to not see daddy glued to a little screen. Very addicting tho.
Good job! Even with the 3 cheats, I say it was a success. Yes, I spend far too much time online for sure. There is a balance but when my business is run online it’s hard to find it.
I think everyone puts up their posts from time to time withe the desire to brag a bit, it’s human and we want to get likes and pats on our backs for being awesome.
Preach!!! I am the technology coordinator at my school so I spend immense amounts of time online-researching, connecting, planning, teaching kids how to do all of these things. I am not without a tech device on my person each and every work day. I also find that I have a serious iPhone addiction. Instagram is my weakness. Honestly, I think it is having a negative impact in our household-how much time we spend with out digital worlds and not our face to face people. Last week we had screen free dinner (we often watch the news…no kids yet) and it was awesome. I love the value of quiet and connection and need it more.
I’m reading the book, Digital Disciple by Rev. Adam Thomas and it is really opening my eyes to how much I need to build real connections and shun from the isolation or surface level relationships that I’ve formed online. (And realize that God is in the midst of all of it.)
I’ve feared an analog weekend, partly for my job (we check email almost 24/7) but partly because I’ve become so shallowly connected that I fear what I would miss.
Does any of this make sense? Thank you for your post Lindsay. I’m so grateful for your honesty.
LOVE this post Lindsay and yes I too am guilty of spending WAY too much time online! Like you when you step away from our devices you realize and sometimes forget how much more productive and fun you can have. LOL! I did it this weekend since the weather was so nice and it was fabulous. I was tired from being so active, soaking up the sun, getting stuff DONE around my apartment. We need to do this more often. It’s good for the brain, body, and heart. XOXO
I think Kirk would say yes, which probably means yes. Man that’s a hard one!! I think I need to pray about this a little more, not sure what the balance is either. I am sure I would have gone crazy without it all weekend (& instagram is my fav too).
On a more fun note – CONGRATS on your awesome win. I love that you decided to race & started in just over 9 minutes. And you won! You rock. :)
First of all, congratulations on a race win! In my opinion, you have every right to brag ;), however, I love your heart and your spirit, and I love that you only want to post to share and inspire. I need to adopt this attitude as well! Being present and not pulling my phone out is something I’m really trying to work on as well. And I am TOTALLY into Instagram as opposed to FB! So much more fun to me, for some reason! I do feel “out of the loop” if I haven’t been on in a while. So ridiculous. I’ve made a point of having no-phone Sundays, but really need to do the whole weekend. And no phone when my kids are up and around. I’m a work in progress!
CONGRATS on winning the impromptu run! That is a great accomplishment, and I don’t see it as bragging :) But I do see your point of the WHY you wanted to post about it. But I am impressed!
You nailed this one–I love hearing your honesty. I think I am slightly not balanced. I’ve been working on it though, and I’ve too noticed that I have MORE time to do more things–read, relax, talk to friends, run errands, oragnize/clean, etc. I am pretty good about not playing around on my phone with people around, but still. I still feel slightly unbalanced. It’s a work in progress though, and that is what matters! xo
HA!! I love that you not only RAN a race out of the blue this weekend but that you WON the darn thing, you are hilarious!!! (and wicked awesome, just sayin). AND I love that you disconnected almost 100% entirely (I don’t blame you for the quick glance here or there, you are human after all, right??).
I actually think I don’t have much of a problem with this. I spend some time online during the day, but I rarely touch my computer or phone in the evenings. The only time I ever get online during the weekends is if I happen to be by myself and I’m just completely bored!
I agree – it’s hard to find a balance. The past few weeks (while I’ve had to laze around with my legs up a lot), the internet has been my constant friend. Hopefully, as I can add in more activity, I will cut back on my addiction!!! And Candy Crush – I should have never started!!
If you figure it out – let me know. I honestly have nothing to offer in this conversation because I’ve been just as stuck for balance as you for the last 2 years. Ugh.
I KNOW I spend way too much time online – and to be perfectly honest, right now it’s a distraction. It’s a distraction from the fact that I don’t have a lot going on in my social and personal life, and it’s a crutch for me to get sucked into online “life” instead. But, I have found that scheduling myself – including computer time – has done wonders. I limit myself to a certain number of hours a day online, and force myself to do something else for the other hours.
Linds – I didn’t get a chance to see you before I had to leave Saturday (literally crossed the finish line, stretched and left in order to get to the niece’s ball game.) Anyway, I wanted to give you a hug and tell you that I was thinking of you and I hope that you had a fantastic mother’s day (and it sounds as if you did!) Still lifting you up in prayer!
I’ll admit to being horribly addicted to my phone. Especially Instagram! I’m just like you with it! A few years ago I did a whole week without social media. It was tough, but very refreshing. Should really give that a go again. Need to learn to enjoy the moment and not think ‘oh where’s my phone, I need to snap a pic and Instagram this!’
I’m with you on seeking balance!
My hubs and I both struggle with this! Him FB, me IG…. but I agree, a better balance is needed. Now how to find it?
Yup. Guilty as charged… I’m reading this and nodding my head to everything! This weekend it got to the point where I was ‘quickly’ checking Instagram while driving, my husband was none too impressed and definitely told me so. It’s SO hard, but I really must work on this addiction. I’m looking at twitter and Instagram constantly, and I agree that it gets even worse when it’s used to ‘brag’ and/or takes your attention from what’s going on around you and your family. Thanks for such a good heart to heart reminder! Congrats on the race!
There’s a fine line between bragging and inspiring. Success stories of weight loss or goal achievement are really both, aren’t they? Both “look what I was able to accomplish.. go me!” and “you can do it too!”. Blogging itself can be an inherently self-centered activity. What do we write about, if not ourselves? But our story might inspire someone else too. I just think we need to understand and embrace all our motives in using social media. It is rarely one or the other.
Your flexibility inspires me. I have trouble straying from what I had planned and can’t see myself ever jumping into a race last minute. I need to listen to Frankie and RELAX! :)
My phone is constantly attached to my hand. It’s so bad! It’s such a hard balance though, because all of my schoolwork is done online! It’s hard to resist blog-reading and Facebook and Twitter while I’m writing a boring paper.
Oh and CONGRATS ON WINNING THAT RACE!! That’s so awesome!
I love that you rolled out of bed and went right to winning a race. You are my hero. Happy Mothers Day!!!
I am also hopelessly addicted to my iphone…sigh!
I am working on putting it away at night. One of my goals to say No More Iphone after 8pm and just be present. I need to work on this!
PS i love that you just ran to the race and WON! hahaha
I’m also trying to work on balance so I’ve started to limit myself to only checking my phone in the mornings, during my sons naps, and after he goes to bed in the evening. I feel like I’m missing out on a lot but then again, who really cares? My social media “friends” are not going to be there for me when I need them, my family will so they come first. My husband recently broke his iphone and instead of fixing it he went back to a $16 dollar phone and he claims that he loves it. Says its so refreshing and now he has me thinking…life was so much more simple before smartphones.
Dude, if I won a race (which would never happen, but anyway), I would totally post about it on Facebook! It’s something to be proud of.
I feel like this. I enjoy being online – blogs, social media, checking my phone, whatever. So I do it. I think that if I’m choosing to be online instead of doing something else that’s more meaningful, then it’s an issue, but if I’m just online in my spare time or I choose it as a way to relax, than it’s fine.
Congratulations on the run! What an amazing cause too! As for social media, instagram is my love. I even like it more than blogging now! I have had to step away from blogging as much since I’m working more. I just don’t have the time for everything. My kids are getting older, so I don’t worry that I’m really taking time away from them when I’m on my phone, but I am making a point to not be on it when we are all actually engaged in something as a family.
first of all congrats! and second of all, yes. There’s a need for balance. I am working on it.. kinda, sorta. sigh
glad you had such a great weekend! and you freaking won a race?! AMAZING!!!!
Im so addicted to the pictures.
I left the phone home a lot this weekend and missed documenting everything—not for SOCIAL MEDIA :-)—but for me.
I spend WAY too much time on my computer and my phone. Like waaaaaaaay too much time. I really need to try out limiting my time and putting my focus on other things!
Oh man, it’s like you’re speaking to me! I feel exactly the same way. How many pictures of protein smoothies will it take for me to not have to scroll through my ENTIRE feed?! Uuuggghhh.
Congrats on the win, rockstar!
great job on your run!!!!!
Omg, I am right there with you…Facebook? Twitter? Whatever…no big deal, but Instagram? Seriously, how many hours of my life have I lost to that darn thing?!! I took the entire weekend off as well, from Friday morning to Saturday evening I only checked it twice when I was tagged in some posts…I quickly looked at the post, took a screenshot so I could comment later and put the phone down. I felt oddly empowered by that! I know, so ridiculous! Part of me wonders what I missed this weekend, but the other part of me kinda wants to take more breaks like this. It’s weird…I love being “in” the community, but really…how does thumbing through pictures of people and things that have nothing to do with me enrich MY life? Definitely something to ponder…and I’m so glad I’m not alone in this!
Congrats on the impromptu run! I always find it interesting how DIFFERENT my life feels when I step away from all the technology end of things. How I spend time differently, interact differently, etc. Not necessarily all good or bad . . . just different.