As within anything in life, I am learning the importance of moderation in all things. It is amazing how some of these great tools we have can be used for so much good and so much evil, even if it is merely even in our own personal life. After all, isn't the world made of a whole bunch of personal lives.
Let me start with, I LOVE facebook. Really, I do. I have found myself pulling out my phone in conspicuous locations at work, so as not to be seen, to check status updates. I hate to admit it, but I even have spent extra long sitting in the bathroom, to look at facebook (of course while my hands are still somewhat clean). The other day I went onto networked blogs and spent hours working on getting people to follow my blogs. Thankfully, last year I gave up on the games on facebook, it was even worse then.
I realized on my way to work yesterday that I have been out of balance. Facebook can be a fine tool. It is a great way to connect with others, but it can also be a time waster and even something that distances me from God. The more I choose my favorite time waster when I should be choosing more eternally valuable things, the more I am loosing a little bit of that spirit that draws me closer to God and that I need, to direct me in my day to day life. I can feel a difference.
Now for the hard part, to figure out what amount of time on facebook is ok for me personally. When should I put my phone away and avoid looking at it at all costs. I started by spending a large amount of time asking for forgiveness and for help yesterday, and it has helped. Now, I need to start listening to that guidance and following it. The key to everything in this life is balance. Moderation in all things, including Facebook.
Liz, you are so right about moderation. I myself am addicted to FB, and have even had my husband change my password and only was I able to check it on weekends. Well, I figured out the password *lol*. Moderation is def. the KEY not only for FB but for everything else in life. Great post Liz!
ReplyDeleteFrom a fellow FB addict, I hear you. My husband and I came up with rules about timing and Facebook, but as soon as one of us checks it for something, than the other feels like it is a free for all. LOL! Moderation is key. Let me know if you come up with a magic number.
ReplyDeleteI like your post face book can pull us away from things in life. I know when I first joined I spent allot of time on networked blogs just like you visiting other people blogs and then I realized I am spending way to much time I never would be on FB or networked blogs while at work...but when I got home I was on it..Now I have disciplined myself to get on during the day post two blogs comment on a few thins and then I am off until evening time to check on what I posted.
ReplyDeleteIts true, a balance is needed, FB can be very addictive, recently I started my own personal reading regime, I'm trying to read a number of books on Buddhism by various authors to try and get a balanced viewpoint only to realise I had to work really hard at cutting down my FB time to make time to read.
ReplyDeleteMy study of Buddhism is not going to take a back seat to FB, I just need to fit both in somehow :-)
i agree!!! i need to moderate fb and blogging a little more!! it is truly addictive.
ReplyDeleteI agree whole heartedly. I catch myself running off between playing with the kids or "school" activities with Karis to "check" facebook as well. I am getting better and as you say we need to have that balance. I love that I was able to get this blog via facebook:)
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the comments. It's nice, or maybe not so nice, lol, to know that I am not alone in this problem.
ReplyDeleteKevin, I have found myself in the same boat, where I have to give up or cut back on one thing so I can make room for something else. That's when I really realize how much of a problem it has become.
Yet, it is nice that we can see each other's blog posts so readily on facebook, as Sue mentioned. It is certainly a tough thing.