Trading Facebook for Faces

Today's post is written by guest writer, Danielle Metz. Danielle is my daughter. This articulate mother of three is a blogger in her own right. She's also more social savvy than her father the marketer will ever be. But when her family needed more personal time, she wasn't afraid to give up her online time. 

In February 2015 she traded social media time for real faces, going offline for awhile so that she could focus on being in the present for her family and friends. She eventually re-engaged online, but the blog she wrote about her time of social dis-engagement stuck with me. 

Although I see the personal and business possibilities in an online world, I value the realities of the offline world more. You can't replace real family- or friend-talk with a text. And you can't replace a handshake and a smile in business with an email message.

An abbreviated version of Danielle's post is included here. Click the link at the bottom of the article to read the full text.

Trading Facebook for Faces

I gave up Facebook, and it wasn’t even a New Years Resolution. I did it because I WANTED to, at least, I THOUGHT I wanted to.

After many futile months of trying to gradually spend less time “plugged in" . . . my husband came to me and asked me to change his Facebook password. I asked him to do the same for me. 

Cold turkey is the way to go, let me tell you.


I didn’t realize how addicted I was but, after the first few days, I started feeling frustrated. What was happening was that I was angry that I didn’t have a distraction anymore. Something to kill time at the doctor's office, or taking a break on the couch while my son played on the living room floor. Something to do in the car while my husband drove us to a restaurant. Something to do while waiting to get our seat at the restaurant. Something to help me fall asleep and something to help me wake up in the morning.

While there have been some good things to come out of Facebook for me (like talking to people from college I didn’t really ever talk to until we all became moms), most of the time it was just mindless scrolling with a few likes and comments tossed in for fun. 

I depended on Facebook to keep me entertained and occupied while complaining that I was too busy to accomplish my goals. Not having Facebook . . . I have spent a lot more time playing with my son, who was also waiting for me to have time for him. I’ve sent more texts and made more phone calls to people. 

I didn’t think I was addicted to Facebook, but now that I don’t have it, I’m already questioning why I was so hooked. . . . Digital photos may have replaced film, and emails and texts may have replaced phone calls or handwritten letters – but they can’t match their value. Getting actual mail . . . means something (knowing) that person valued you enough to spend the time to write or call.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Photos and words on a screen cannot compare to being there in person. Likes and comments can never replace the supporting hug of a friend, or a surprise visit when you need it most . . . 

It can be scary to make ourselves vulnerable to people by making ourselves available in person, and without the protection of the computer or phone screen in between us, but (the) vulnerability makes for a much better relationship and rush of confidence. . . 

Just be present, not distracted.

Read more! Click here for the full-text article at Mighty Metz.