Ding….
Oooh a Facebook notification….I wonder who it is?
I’ll just look quickly….won’t take a second….
Right. Now back to work.
What was I doing again?
Hmmm now concentrate…time to get focused.
Ding.
Damn it. Another one.
OK one last one…then I’ll focus on what I’m doing.
Hmphh..just one of those annoying conversations…someone I don’t even know.
OK back to it.
Where was I again?
Ooooh wait. What’s she saying on Facebook? Let me just have a real quick look…
Hmmmm she’s going to Rome…nice…I’ve always wanted to go to Rome….
I’ll just look real quick…see what hotel she’s staying at…
Wow…looks amazing…wish I was in Rome right now….hmmm. Should get back to work…
OK now. What was I doing again?
Ding.
Arghgh. Not another one. Damn it, I’ve clicked it already…
And nothing. Again. An invite to some event I don’t even want to go to.
Jeeze louise I feel exhausted! And I’ve not even got anything done.
OK that’s it I’m taking a break.
I’ll come back to this later.
—
Sound familiar?
There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to admit this, but I’m going to anyway.
I have a problem with Facebook.
It’s true.
It’s like this incessant child that keeps tugging at my wrist…distracting me from what I’m doing…luring me away from what I should be doing, what I really want to be doing.
Ding.
There it goes again.
That. Tiny. Little. Sound.
I can’t help it. It intrigues me…it begs me to come closer…to just take a look, a peek…only a moment…there’s no harm….
It’s just too tempting.
The curiosity gets the better of me.
And BOOM. There goes an hour or two that I’ll never get back.
I was thinking about this whole situation the other day and it dawned on me that Facebook is actually a serious addiction.
I mean – IT’S LIKE A DRUG. No, worse than a drug – because it’s free! And it’s totally ‘normal’ to do it. Yet it affects you just as bad as a full on drug addiction.
I’ve even heard neuroscientists describe how the ‘ding’ noise literally releases dopamine in your brain. So, we’re dealing with a chemical reaction here folks – a full on Facebook drug addiction.
Facebook is literally getting inside our brains and creating chemicals that are changing our behavior.
This is serious stuff.
I mean when I think about it…after a whole day of being immersed in social media I’m totally exhausted. I’m pooped. I’ve got nothing left. Not to mention trying to get work done in between.
It’s like we’re never off. ALWAYS ON.
And something tells me this ain’t healthy.
So…I have a plan. Instead of giving facebook the keys to my life, I’m getting back in the drivers seat.
I DECIDE what I read on my computer and I decide when.
I will no longer be at the beck & call of a computer network!
I will take my productivity back with two hands.
Because I’ve got stuff to do! I’ve got things to accomplish in this world! I need to get cracking.
You know what I do now?
I literally switch Facebook off for entire blocks of time. I know that I just can’t trust myself to ignore the ding. I just can’t. So I switch it off.
And you know what. Those quiet non-facebook hours are like pure slices of heavenly bliss.
Zero interruptions.
Complete attention on what I’m doing.
I’m back in the flow. I’m playing in my zone of genius again.
And this is where the magic happens.
From one addict to another – I implore you to choose another way.
Don’t get hooked on Facebook like I did.
Simple Life Strategy: How to Stop Going on Facebook When You’re Meant to be Working
1. Monitor your Facebook habits. Are you a slave to the ding like I was?
2. Notice how easy it is to ignore the ding? If you struggle then it’s time to take action!
3. Try what I do: switch Facebook off for chunks of time. See how much faster you get stuff done.
If you know someone who is ALWAYS ON FACEBOOK, it might be time to break the bad news. We all need some tough love every now and then. Go on, share my musings with them. Put an end to their Facebook addiction. Give them back the keys to their life.
Tell me – do you have any tips for avoiding the Facebook ding? I’d love to hear in the comments section below.
Now you enjoy your new-found facebook-freedom and the productivity that comes along with it!
Oh and thanks for listening. It means a lot 😉
Love
Zoë B
PS: I’m curious – tell me about your relationship with facebook…does it suck you in like it did me?
PS ~ Sick of working just to pay the bills? Get my most popular, FREE online training here: My 3 Step process To Find A More Meaningful Career.
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