20 Comments
Mar 13, 2023Liked by Hannah Ray

I don't know – there are folks I've missed who've evidently taken themselves offline for a bit (eg. https://twitter.com/MartinBelam who I know is still writing for the Guardian, but as far as I know didn't post any big "I'm leaving Twitter" message, he just went) – after a while I find myself wondering "what happened to so-and-so?", and dig out their Twitter page and see that they posted about some kind of break. Better than the alternative surely, which is being left to wonder if someone's shuffled off the mortal coil? I've experienced this too and it's not much fun lacking closure.

Also... it feels a bit mean-spirited making a specific example of Alison at the start here? It didn't particularly read to me as an "I'M LEAVING TWITTER FOREVER!" flounce, could just be a reference to a post-work holiday? If that was my tweet I'd be a little upset to read a whole newsletter calling me "cringe" :(

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Yes to letter writing!

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Feb 3Liked by Hannah Ray

Hannah! I'm finding this post almost a year after you published it (🫣), but the timing is perfect!

I don't mind posts from people I follow saying they're leaving social media, but when I decided to step away from Instagram, I gradually withdrew from the platform. It wasn't exactly a 1:1 exchange, but I wrote a piece on my Substack explaining my reasons for stepping back because IG was once an integral part of my work.

I'm still using Stories (mainly to link to my writing on Substack), and eventually, I'll return to the Grid but will undoubtedly be using it differently for the sake of my mental health.

It felt good to explain in depth in the piece I wrote why I needed to step away from Instagram, and it further cemented why a return to long-form writing and a break from life in squares was what my mind needed! I hoped people who knew me wouldn't interpret it as a dramatic flounce or me hunting for attention! 😅

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I really loved this post, thank you! Full disclosure: when I burnt out, I took over a year off social media. I didn’t announce it (couldn’t bear the thought of all the questions about why, and “you ok hun?” when I really wasn’t ok), I just drifted off like a fart in the wind 🤣. The year off socials meant I could concentrate on all the stuff that really mattered in the moment and was a key part of my recovery. Then I returned, grew a lovely community on IG; but like you have become frustrated and disillusioned with it as a platform. I cannot stand all the performative nonsense over there, all the humble bragging and virtue signaling, all of the main character syndrome, plus how it has become a platform for advertising, marketing and overconsumption. Hence why I’m now on Substack 😉. Digital detoxes are fab when used correctly, but you don’t need to announce it (it’s not an airport departure lounge), and if you need a detox in the first place perhaps question why you need to come off it? What’s the true purpose and intent of your socials? Social media is only as good as the manner in which you use it. Great article!

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I always took these announcements as away messages to avoid the “where are you” texts, calls, and DMs some people get if they’re not online posting or responding regularly. I put it on for work so why not on social media where people often earn a living?

For us normies, it probably doesn’t matter. There’s a big enough Rolodex of contacts and content to keep us occupied and before we know it, that month sabbatical without the person is up and they’re back posting regularly. Might rant about this at some point, but I do a lot more on my phone than what I’m sure someone casually glancing over would think. So I’m not really concerned about screen time.

This reminds me to read that Eggers book on my list: A Hologram for the King. That is sooo special that he writes back. I’ll keep that in mind if I become a fan. On a side note: when What is the What came out, I don’t know who was representing him but when I was in Philly in college the ads were absolutely everywhere. Should have read him back then but I was being a contrarian. There’s always time to change that, though.

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Hey Hannah, great article! It got me thinking about the impact of technology on our mental health and productivity.

I'm curious to know if you've come across any specific strategies or tools that help people maintain a healthier relationship with technology while still being able to harness its benefits for personal and professional growth. Do you think there's a sweet spot between embracing technology and avoiding digital overload? Excited to hear your thoughts on this!

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Literally added “Saving Time” to my reading list a few days ago. Excited to dig in. And you said everything I’ve been feeling about these social media detoxes.

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I think the bigger issue here is WHY it bothers YOU so much? This reads mean and judgmental.

I very much notice when my friends are gone and I very much appreciate when they make a post saying they’re taking a little break. I don’t mind when they don’t and I don’t mind when they do. Allowing other people to move how they want without it bothering you feels amazing and I highly recommend it.

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Saving time looks interesting! Sounds like a similar premise to 4,000 Weeks which was surprisingly amazing and fascinating thinking around the concept of time and notion that you can "use it well"

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