A new year calls for new resolutions. Workout, diet and saving money usually tops the list, only this time there is an addition. Along with the above older and common resolutions, newer ones which made a quick appearance are “Limit Facebook usage” and “Restrict WhatsApp messaging.” These aren’t resolutions made by wives to restrict husbands. Don’t believe it? Just take a look at the posters and status messages posted on timelines.
The time is nowSome, however didn’t wait for the year to end or the new year to roll in. Tired of being ‘socially sanskari’ and cool, they aren’t letting FB and WhatsApp take up a chunk of their productive hour and nearly calling a ban on these social apps. Well, a ban for a few days or maybe a couple of months. For some others keeping off for even a few hours a day seems a big deal.
So how does one realise they are overindulging on these social networking platforms? “When a woman asks her working husband about his well being on his timeline rather calling him on phone,” comments Nishanta Kumar, a bank consultant. Nishanta says she logs out of FB when the tagging by friends goes overboard and for the world to see about her personal life. “My life shouldn’t be on FB, I socialise but I definitely don’t want everyone to know what I am up to at all times of the day.”
Nishanta personally decided to log out for a while when she found herself always sleeping late and spending a considerable amount on FB doing nothing “but click link to link until I forgot what I was originally looking at.” So now she logs in occasionally and suggests, “to save yourself from becoming a FB junkie, de-activate it from your phone.”
Cry babies on FBRegulars on FB, but miles away from turning addicts, say FB addicts can get the worst out of you. They think perennial cry babies and silly posts can only bring out the negative out of them. “Bloopers in newspapers, the ad volume in papers, channels etc... there are some people always waiting to pounce and give their comments. They are kind of hate posts and negativity only brings in negativity, the only way to stay positive is stay away and feel rejuvenated,” comments Adarsh Sharma, a marketing professional who deleted his FB profile and isn’t on WhatsApp. Adarsh deleted his FB profile after he got involved in a virtual tussle about secularism. “I live by ‘live and let live.’ he adds.
On a lighter note there are FB users who claim to have identified their weakness and pulled the plug, before it bloomed into an addiction. “I would wake up and the first thing I would do was check FB and WhatsApp. It was a routine for me and my husband would only make fun of me. Then just like that, I deleted FB from my phone and I was just fine without checking mundane updates. An update once in a while is good, but not one a regular basis. People can update, but it is for us to stay unaffected,” says Promiti Phukan, pianist and music teacher.
When it comes to quitting when is the best time? “Do it just the way you quit other addiction. Quit, cold turkey. Just call it quits and enjoy that time for a silent me-time,” says research scholar Priyam S.
But just like other New Year resolutions, are they meant to be really followed or forgotten. Will have to wait and watch.
