Too much social media

Social media is getting too many hours of my life, time that I could be using to read, write and get work done. Because of this, for the next couple of months I’m going to cut back my time on social media so I can focus on writing my first draft of my book and my blog.

I also need to learn more about changes to how my staffing will work with my Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS) waiver funding which is how I pay for support staff and other adaptive equipment costs not covered by health insurance or Medical Assistance. Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is now requiring that I become my own small business to continue hiring my own support staff. Up until now, an agency had been the employer of record for my staff. There’s a lot to learn and lots of paperwork for my parents and me to wade through.  I’ll still be here, but I won’t be on Facebook or Twitter as much.

Here are three reasons why I am putting some limits on my social media:

1. Experience: In my book, my two main characters are on the run. They can’t exactly use social media to contact anyone. So I plan to experience what my two characters are going through, to give a better description.
2. It is time to shut down: After reading An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (absolutely amazing book!), I have been doing some rethinking about how I use social media. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like a very healthy reality.
3. I have too much other work to get done and there’s lots of other fun stuff to do. Like on Monday afternoon, I’m going to the Minnesota Council on Disability’s Legislative Forum on Disability. Being a disability rights and inclusion advocate means I need to stay informed about legislation that impacts my world.

Starting next week, I’m taking a break for at least the next several weeks, and then will be checking infrequently. You can message me through my blog and my mom will be keeping an eye on my Facebook @JustinSmithWrites page if you are trying to reach me. My mom will tag me in any of her Facebook or Twitter posts if anything cool is happening with me.

Have you ever had a social media blackout? Any tips on how to survive it? Wish there were some football (as in SOCCER) matches to go to! At least I have AFC Wimbledon to watch online and FIFA 19 to play on my PC. GOAL!