I didn't get off social media; I made it harder to log in. 📱
When a total exit isn't feasible: a tactic for creatives and business owners.
I realized the biggest issue is access. I know this because even when I’m outside of a signal, 20 kilometres from a road, I’ll find myself opening apps and the urge to pull down to refresh. It’s totally wild and ridiculous.
I feel fortunate that there are places not far from my home where no cell signal or WiFi exists. In these settings, my phone becomes a simple tool, disconnected from the World Wide Web that entangles me daily. When the signal strength bars disappear, I can’t be reached. I can’t check anything — not emails, not social media or anything else that requires the Internet. There, amongst rushing waterfalls, wildflowers, and animal prints, my phone is reduced to a camera and method of route-finding (though I also carry a paper map).
But, I’ll admit: when I first set off into a signal-free zone, I might be taking a photo when I can feel my instinct to open an app and drag the screen down. Aahh, that ubiquitous act across all these platforms that “refreshes” whatever is on the screen, at the expense of doing the opposite for our minds and bodies. It’s no secret the apps are designed to be addictive. It releases that dopamine hit, the curiosity of whether or not there’s a new message or new information. Thanks to our tiny computers, the source of the stress can fit into the palm of our hand or go with us anywhere in a bag or a pocket.
For its size, it’s remarkably destructive.
I am writing about this now because this past month I hit a wall. I found myself in the same old habits, not only wasting time on my devices but also succumbing to destructive behaviours and thought-patterns: logging in and not being able to get off; sitting, scrolling, and seeing things I wish I hadn’t; feeling that FOMO and jealousy bubble up as the newsfeed populated. No matter the time limits I set for apps, it just happened, over and over. But, here’s the kicker. As a business owner, freelancer, and entrepreneur, it’s not so simple as getting rid of the apps and disappearing from social media altogether. How I wish it were that simple. I have messages and content I must deliver; I have stories to share; I have projects that need circulating. I’ve worked for years to build a community that I’m not ready to say goodbye to.
Amid all the bad of social media, there is some good, which is part of the problem. Perhaps the root.
But, three experiences have set me on a new trajectory with social media this summer.
The first I’ve described to you already on Field Notes: it was the passing of a friend and that sobering reminder of how short life is. Holy, do I really want to be spending my time getting sucked into anything that doesn’t light me up?
The second was a backcountry trip earlier this month — in one of these aforementioned escape zones — that felt like a true refresh, and I knew of course this had to do with my disconnection from all the things. I’ve been on dozens of backcountry trips before, fully recognizing the freedom from WiFi or a cell signal. But this time, for some reason, the freedom felt that much sweeter. Something in me clicked, really clicked, perhaps because I was primed from experience #1.
The third experience involves a recent situation with one of these social media platforms whose AI software suddenly dictated all my posts were spam/misleading/offensive — even an image of an alpine lake with a poetic caption. Anything I tried to post was immediately taken down, and the process of getting it fixed has required endless clicks to figure out if I can speak to a human, followed by chats with an entity that, for all I know, may not be a human at all. All this to regain access to a platform I don’t really want in my life but feel is still important to my business. This does not light me up.
I wanted off the hamster wheel, but how?
As I mentioned, I’ve tried app time limits. I’ve also tried apps that make you do a breathing exercise before you can access a chosen platform (I chose Instagram). I’ve tried computer-only access to apps. I’ve tried labelling my social media folder of apps, “Mind Garbage” (for real). But, none of these tactics worked for me. I realized the biggest issue is access. I know this because even when I’m outside of a signal, 20 kilometres from a road, I’ll find myself opening apps and the urge to pull down to refresh. It’s totally wild and ridiculous.
After the spam incident, I knew I had to do something to free myself from this time-sucking mess. For a few months I had been tinkering with the idea of setting up a different phone for social media — one with no SIM card so that nothing would work outside my house. Like a landline. Now was the time. So, ten days ago I dug up an old smartphone out of my dresser, reset it, and downloaded all the apps I would need to do my job (and nothing extra; I want these two devices to serve two different purposes). I logged into apps, one password and painstaking authentication code at a time. And when I was confident I had everything I needed, I deleted every social media app from my everyday phone.
The impact was immediate. In less than a day, I felt a dramatic shift in my brain and behaviour.
The “workhorse” phone sits by my desk and I use it when I need to. I post, engage, and then I get off. When I leave the house, I leave the “trapps” there too. No scrolling while I’m waiting in a line or cycling at the gym.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Even when I’m home, even when the workhorse is within reach, I hardly feel the impulse to pick it up. Most days it sits there, in plain sight, and I have to remember I’m supposed to use it to show up with my businesses and projects. I have been astounded by how quickly I’ve severed those invisible ties, how quickly I’ve moved from involuntary scrolling to behaving as though the workhorse is no more of a tool than a screwdriver.
This is a long post to say I now use another phone for social media. But I’m posting this because I know of many other creatives and small business owners in the same shoes, who are looking for a solution to this endless problem. I know that — for me, for my businesses, and creative projects — getting off social media is not a solution right now. But I’m confident in saying that I’ve found a system that has helped me reduce my use by 90% overnight. We don’t all have old phones lying around, but if you struggle with this, perhaps it’s worth trying to get your hands on one, or finding a way to reduce access in the first place.
I didn’t want to spend one more day fighting the issue. So far, this solution has exceeded my expectations and changed my life for the better.
I’m curious to know if you can relate and what tactics you’ve tried that have worked for you. Please feel free to email me back or share in the comments so that others can learn!
Meghan J. Ward is an outdoor, travel and adventure writer based in Banff, Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and the author of Lights to Guide Me Home. Meghan has written several books, as well as produced content for films, anthologies, blogs and some of North America’s top outdoor, fitness and adventure publications.
Ready to dive deeper with me? Upgrade to a paid subscription.
What’s caught my attention lately… ✨
Some podcasts for you this month! These are Apple links but search for the episodes wherever you listen.
Diary of a CEO — In general, this is a great podcast, and I love that host Steven Bartlett give interviews time to breathe. This particular episode about stress (never mind the sensational title) with Mo Gawdat is almost 3 hours long. His comments about the lies in our culture, the true source of stress, our screwed up priorities, the impacts of AI, are what we need to hear in a culture addicted to stress that’s making us sick.
I’m so glad I listened to the story of Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman pilot, on We Regret to Inform You this past week. What a powerhouse she was!
This conversation between author and activist Valarie Kaur and Brené Brown on Unlocking Us is so beautiful. They talk about what led Valarie to explore Sikh ancestral wisdom, the ways in which her ancestors’ truths parallel what’s being researched in academic and how we can turn to this wisdom to live a meaningful life.
Check these out too… 🙌
Lights to Guide Me Home - my memoir (reviews welcome on Amazon and Goodreads)
The Wonders That I Find - my children’s book
My Email Newsletter - updates about my books, projects, and 1:1 coaching
I am an eight-generation Canadian and a descendent of British, Scottish and German settlers living, working, and recreating outdoors in Treaty 7 Territory — the homelands and gathering place for the Niitsitapi from the Blackfoot Confederacy, including the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani First Nations; the Îyârhe Nakoda of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations; the Tsuut’ina First Nation; the homeland of the Métis and Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation of Alberta, and many others. I am doing my utmost, both personally and professionally, to deepen my understanding of the history of Indigenous peoples and the impacts of colonialism — past and present.
I relate to needing social media for business, but opting out due to the constant pull of the apps. We went camping in a no-internet & phone zone for a few days, and when I returned, I knew that I was going to create this situation for myself every new moon. There's so much beautiful connection that happens when contact isn't available. The intentional ritual helps clear my head and keeps me committed to avoiding the patterned bored/tired scroll. Instead of this behavior, I am turning to audio books, lectures and films more often, and learning so much more. Thanks for being willing to write about this. I think it's necessary to share how addictive and brain-changing the apps can be.
I relate to all of this so much. I've also tried only using social media on computers, setting a schedule, deleting everything from the phone only to add it back because you can only access certain features that way (boo), keeping the 'apps phone' in my office..... glad you found a solution that works!