FOMO and Reclaiming My Time

I'm thinking of quitting Instagram and Facebook. It's concerning how even thinking about this has me worried about missing out. On what, I'm not actually sure. Another pretty quilt, painting, craft or fabric? Yet another recipe? A life-changing parenting hack? Doesn't sound too necessary. Maybe on what friends are sharing? Whatever it is causing the hesitation, what I fear more is missing out on my real life. Making my own quilts, art, crafts; cooking those recipes I collect; being present with the daughter I'm parenting. I do all those things, but how much more I could do with more time!

What if, instead of "killing" five minutes on my phone, I use that time to sew a quick seam, sketch an idea, or prep a needle and thread for stitching? Have an impromptu dance party with my girl or whip around the house and put a few bits and pieces away? What if I sit quietly and just listen... or think... or breathe? Sounds so, so good to me. 

Here's the thing though: I do appreciate a lot of what social media has to offer. It connects people who might otherwise never meet. It exposes you to viewpoints, opinions and ways of life different to your own. It allows people to talk about situations mainstream media don't. And it can be a source of inspiration and entertainment. 

What I'm going to do to start with is schedule it in once a week and be intentional about it. I might post, I might consume what's posted by others, or I might end up opting to do something else. I'm not going to get sucked into scrolling and lose 20 minutes, I'll set a timer. And I'll do it from my computer, not my phone. Then maybe I'll move to once a fortnight, and maybe then I'll let it go for good. 

It's possible you're wondering why I'm bothering to post about this at all. Why not just do it? Well, I want the accountability. Saying is one thing, doing is another thing entirely. And I really want to DO. 

And what's that picture all about? It's some slow stitching I'll have more time for. Hand quilting this quilt is taking me ages and I'm very inconsistent about it, but I love it. This is one of those things I'll pick up when I have a few minutes, and in that way, I'll finish it. 

What are your thoughts on social media? Are you happy with your use of it? Love it? Hate it? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Bye for now,

Hope x