As I refused for a month from social networks: the experience of Canadian entrepreneurs

We can spend hours on social networks, and then wonder where it goes all the free time. Blogger and entrepreneur David Kane decided to experiment and to quit for a month.

David Kane (David Cain)

Canadian writer and entrepreneur, creator Raptitude blog.

I decided on a month to go back to 2007, when the social network did not play such a big role in our lives. I removed the phone with Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and if you want to take advantage of social programs, that had come to them from your computer. I wanted to protect itself from its omnipresence, and did not want to catch myself thinking that once again limp spend time on them.

The decision came to me after interview Tristan Harris (Tristan Harris), a former Google designer. Of course, I always knew that we spend on social networks a lot of free time. But I never knew that this habit was designed and conceived by the creators of these sites.

Large platforms operate on our weaknesses, in particular at the need of public approval. So we try to get as many likes, of stars and hearts. These short moments of pleasure make us from morning to evening to check social networks. In this and built a business model.

What has changed after the rejection of social networks

It turned out that not to enter the social network when they are not on a smartphone, not so difficult. I do not miss him, but occasionally caught myself thinking that unconsciously I check the phone. This usually occurs when the expectation of something: while to warm food in the microwave, if one went away to the bathroom or even when the site is slowly loaded on the laptop.

By the sixth day of the smart phone I was no longer an experiment to me as interesting as before. I'm much less likely to take it in hand. Now Twitter, Facebook and Reddit seemed to me boring and even disgusting.

I can not get rid of the idea that social networks - eaters of our emotions and energy. We do not want to spend it on something useful. We leave in social networks because of boredom or unwillingness to deal with important matters. I know firsthand that feeling.

After the start of the experiment, I had plenty of time. Firstly, those 45-90 minutes that I spent on checking social networks. And secondly, the time it takes to restore the working attitude after such breaks. Now the hour is not flying as quietly as before. I realized that social networks - this is the easiest way to waste your life.

As social networks making their way into our life

It happened about the ninth day of the experiment. Facebook noticed my absence.

When you fasted anything, and do not get any response. Consequently, empty notification tape. But one day, to my surprise, I received several notifications. At first I thought that someone had commented or layknul some old record. But no. On the screen I saw something like: "Read new comment Jim's pictures" or "Jane commented on his status." Facebook decided that I should know about it.

Earlier, at the dawn of the formation of Facebook, we have used this site to remain Telecommunications with his friends. Then Facebook was not so much money, but we did not realize that this illusion is no substitute for real communication. Now, we need these notices. We need to know that we remember. And the creators of social networks make their human needs.

The result of experiment

Social networks, at least their modern version, lost me. I began to read more, to walk, talk and work. I do not avoid social networks, but use them more consciously. I share my thoughts in the networks, which can be interesting and useful to others, and keep in touch with friends, if there is no other way to do it. I deleted the application from the phone and social networks shortcuts from the desktop. It seems that soon I'll forget even passwords from them. Despite all attempts to Facebook and Twitter to stop me, I'm not going to let them do it.