My Struggle with Social Media Addiction

“For me, it was debilitating. It has been, and will continue to be, if I'm not careful.”

A large part of my business is spent "on-screen" Whether I’m writing, editing, researching, or posting digital media content, I often times find myself, eyes ringed with tired red, pushing myself, "just a few more minutes." Earlier this year, I was struck with a debilitating feeling - attached, dependent, and overwhelmed — desperately trying to keep up.

The feeling became so intense, I had no choice but to embark on an intentional journey of self reflection. Becoming acutely aware of where, when, how often, and why I was using my technology. This awareness forced me to design sustainable lifestyle habits and patterns to keep myself, and my technology usage in check. I spoke to nearly 100 people about their perspective on technology, and the impact it had on their social and emotional well-being, each conversation shining light on the issue. Everyone knew how technology was ruining their life, but NO ONE knew where to begin making a change.

This is when I began keeping the Spiritual practice of Shabbat, I began powering down my cellphone, ending my workweek, saying no to social/networking events, every Friday at sundown. I started using this time as my number one tool to help me #strikeabalance between accelerated technology and slow living. This experience uncovered many interesting realizations, and more relevantly, gave me the clarity to create the 9 Steps to Designing a Digital Detox Guide.

**The practice of a digital detoxing is not the solution. It is a cleanse that helps us recognize where we need to do more work / create boundaries. Ideally, we bring mindful technology practices in to our world, daily... more insights to come on this, as soon as you decide to ——> #takeonthechallenge.