The 5:2 Social Media Diet

I hate social media. Utterly despise it. And yet, there I was, sitting in bed feeling physically disgusted with myself because I’d wasted another few hours of my life spewing my attention onto a tiny screen, flicking mindlessly back and forth from site to site, app to app, hoping for… god knows. What was I even hoping for?

What was I looking for as I lost my time, life, soul to the greasy glow of my thumb stained screen? Was it for reminders of my inadequacy, of my little pokey belly, of how few books I was reading, or how unsuccessful, lost and lonely I was? I know all of these things; I don’t need perpetual reminding: so why did I keep staring unblinkingly as my life scrolled away before my eyes?

If you’re anything like me, you’re one of those people who know they need to quit social media, but for some awkward yet totally obtuse reason, can’t.

I can’t quit social media though, because how else will I…:
- maintain a connection with my audience?
- stay in contact with my long-distance friends/family?
- get invited the parties by people who know me enough to invite me, but not enough to have my number in order to invite me?
- notify my followers about my new video?
- remember birthdays of people I barely know well enough to have asked them for when their birthday is, but want to look super spontaneous and thoughtful enough to text them on the day…