Why I haven’t been posting on Social Media
My desire to post on social media has been non-existent and I couldn’t figure out why I just can’t seem to find the energy for it…. but then I realised it’s obvious; it goes against what ‘A Little Space’ stands for.
Photo: Lou Robertson for A Little Space
The overload of information and the impact of social media
I don’t know about you but I am finding that we are in a world saturated with constant information and the lure and addictive nature of scrolling as well as the speed of it breeds a perpetual overload of noise and information.
Despite the perks of having all of this at our fingertips with so much content always being readily available to us and how it has revolutionised how we can all connect, the world of social media is creating some problems and, ironically, has left many of us feeling more disconnected.
The harm of infinite scrolling: Mental clutter and lost time
The over-consumption of scrolling and constant exposure to an insane amount of content through which you can ‘infinitely scroll’ can negatively impact our mental health, leading to increased stress, a sense of overwhelm and anxiety. Human beings naturally like to complete things or a unit of something and, therefore, the concept of infinite scrolling where the content is endless, means we naturally just continue to browse. This continual scrolling from post to post allows the brain to get a very regular hit of dopamine and it’s that ‘high’ that keeps you scrolling. So, although this may be good for usability, it can have many consequences such as completely losing track of time and wasting hours of our lives. How often do we just go for a quick ‘check-in’ that turns into hours lost? I end up feeling quite lost as well as mentally drained and unproductive.
The resistance for me to post anything was strong. I just felt the inspiration and joy behind it had faded away and I realised that this resistance wasn’t just a personal preference., it was rooted in the core philosophy of A Little Space.
A Little Space: The need for mindfulness, space and connection with yourself
A Little Space is built on the premise of wanting to encourage people to give themselves exactly that, a little space away from their daily demands, stresses and life’s general overload to allow themselves to reset. I realised my desire for simplicity and space stood in stark contrast to the overwhelming noise of social media and, while social media is a wonderful way to connect it can also contribute to the mental clutter.
It can easily create a numbness whereas I want people to have the space to breathe, to truly feel and to relax, not to feel numb and overloaded. I have spoken to so many people about how rather than finding peace and rest, they feel so much worse about themselves and so much more overwhelmed and disconnected after they have got lost in the world of domb scrolling. What’s wild is that even though we are becoming more aware of this, it is still so hard to stop.
As someone who truly believes in the absolute need to take pauses in our lives and allow ourselves more space to think, regulate and just be, these shadow sides of social media were beginning to feel highly contradictory to these values. No wonder I was resistant to add to the noise. I had no urge to provide any more clutter to people’s already extremely full minds when really, I was trying to offer them some solace.
People rarely have enough time to rest and reset as it is, and I think it is very challenging to stay in the present moment. Social media can often just exacerbate this.
What I actually was wanting was to have real connection, conversations and genuine interactions.
Finding balance and yourself within the noise
It’s not necessarily about staying quiet, or scrapping social media, but there is definitely a sense of discipline and, ironically, my content will often be leading you away from it, to hopefully encourage you to take a moment away, to create space both mentally and physically for yourself, or invite thought. I want to encourage people back to themselves and encourage real conversations with yourself and others that go beyond the digital noise.
For me it’s a practice to restrict the time on social media whilst simultaneously noticing the benefits of either less time on there or noticing how your time is spent alternatively and how those activities make you feel.
Reclaim your time and break free a little from the grip of the scroll. Social media is a wonderful tool but it is always worth considering how much of our lives are we essentially giving away to it?
Personally, I feel that social media definitely has its place, but we must be mindful to not let it dominate our lives. By creating space for ourselves, we can foster mindfulness, maintain healthy boundaries, and find more peace in the real world.
Setting boundaries and embracing peace
So, although I am re-entering the world of posting on social media, I am trying to do so with intention and I have at least now understood the obvious resistance to it and understand that to create space and solace, I will hopefully only be adding to the noise in as far as to encourage you away from it in some small way, to encourage you to find your own more mindful moments in your life and ensure some true connection with both yourself and others.
Remember, it’s okay to step away from the digital noise. Embrace a little space, and give yourself the gift of time, peace, and true connection.
Take the first step today: Set a boundary for your social media usage and see how it transforms your day. I would love to hear how you create space in your life? Share it with me and others.
