Facebook Fasting For A Better Work-Life Balance

It’s something most of us will admit; we spend a lot of time on social media; checking photos, checking-in and interacting with friends and family.

But do we ever take a break?

We have been catching up with one woman who decided to have a ‘Facebook fast’.

Julie Cohen is a leadership, life coach and author who decided, that for clarity of mind, she’d come of her social media platforms so she could enjoy her holiday a better. Little did she know, she’d find it both liberating and uplifting.

You can hear some of Julie’s chat here:

Here’s what she learned:

• It’s addicting. The first few hours were the most difficult. I wanted to see what was happening and post an update or photo of where we were. I actually removed the app from my phone so I wouldn’t be continually tempted, and even a few days into our vacation, I felt like I might be missing something. - It’s distracting. Facebook had become an unconscious habit and in those first few days I found myself regularly going to my phone to check-in. I was stunned by how often I physically picked up my phone without even thinking about it, pulling me away from my real experiences. - It’s draining. Once I got through the first few days, the need to be connected with my thousand plus Friends diminished, and then it disappeared. At the same time, my energy increased and I began to sleep better. - It’s dulling. The drain and distraction impacts my focus and creativity. Without Facebook, my thinking became clearer and ideas flowed for creative projects to consider when I returned to work. I felt mentally sharper and that sharpness remained when I returned home.

Philadelphia-based leadership and executive coach Julie Cohen, PCC, is the author of Your Work, Your Life…Your Way: 7 Keys to Work-Life Balance. She can be found on twitter @jccoach

• Shiona McCallum