Is Facebook fueling your frustration?

Is Facebook fueling your frustration?

I began to keep track of the moments that I felt most frustrated at my children, the moments where I really felt overwhelmed with anger and lost my cool.  Well, a large percentage of those were moments I’m on Facebook.  Yes, facebook, the fun social media app. Typically I was reading a post’s comments or an article someone shared.  Things that seem harmless, possibly even a learning tool.  The problem lies in the fact that Facebook is an endless abyss of posts and articles, 99% of which have no bearing on my life.  Most of the articles are not on info I would seek out or even information that I really need to know. I mean, do I really need to know the “10 best European travel destinations” or “How to make a vegan, gluten free donut” or  “Stormy Daniels tells all”.  I do not need to know these things.  I’m not going to Europe in the next 5 years, I’m not vegan or gluten free, and I couldn’t care less what two consenting adults decided to do in privacy.

 First, I had no idea how much of my day I was LOSING.  It’s just 5-10 minutes, right? Just a quick check? 5 minutes, let’s be conservative, 20 times a day is 100 minutes.  And let’s be real honest.  I probable spent (at least) 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes at nap, and at least 30 minutes before bed.  That is 190 minutes on facebook.  That is over 3 hrs.  3 HOURS. That is time i will NEVER see again. That’s not even calculating in IG or Pinterest.

So this week I focused on my ebooks (currently listening to Brene Brown and reading Eat, Pray, Love). I left my phone in the bedroom or kitchen and only looked at it while Finn was nursing.  Omg my life is transformed! Cutting back helped me stay present.  It’s amazing. I’m there to help stave off some sibling arguments or keep the toddler from throwing his breakfast. All the toys are not being dragged out at the same time into a big giant mess. These are the things that make me want to escape and it turns out my facebook checks were fueling them.  It was a vicious cycle that was stealing my time and happiness. 

A lot of the changes I was not expecting. Our mornings are going ten times smoother.  I blamed the kids in the past.  Turns out I hold at least part of the blame!  Now, if I can only keep it up.