Determined to enter 2020 with a more positive mindset, Louise explains why she’s taking a step back from social media…
Much to my joy, I have miraculously found more time in my life and just in time for the new year.
I had an inkling I spent quite a lot of time getting distracted by the world of social media, but until I decided to delete the apps from my phone, iPad and computer, I had no real idea of the impact my constant interaction was having on my life - not just wasting time, but also making me feel negative about the world.
The decision to take a step back has been a long time coming, and I am not alone, there are plenty of others.
In a recent interview Coldplay's Chris Martin admitted he had been so hurt by a snide tweet claiming he had ruined Glastonbury, that he says he won't play there again for a while, and he also won't go online. It is a huge shame for his legions of fans.
You might think I am over-sensitive (I probably am), and need to grow a thicker skin (I probably do), but the truth is, I can read a hundred nice comments about me, but it will be the nasty one I will remember, try as I might to shrug it off.
Recently the level of acrimony on social media reached unnerving levels, with people constantly shouting at each other, whipping up outrage and throwing around wild assumptions. I realised, I had had enough of reading it and being drawn into the cycle of negativity.
I wouldn't say I have found it easy to let go, and I haven't quite switched it all off, as I still worry I might be missing out on something crucial. So, I admit to peeking every couple of days at what's been said online, and, if I feel like it, I will post something myself. But that is vastly different to what I was doing before - that constant checking my phone every few minutes hardly able to put it down.
The upsides have been surprising, I feel like the world is a kinder place, and I have time to do others things I have been wanting to do for ages.
Reading books, watching box-sets and actually using my mobile to speak to my friends and family - it's much better than falling into a rabbit hole of darkness.
