Writers, photographers, artists, and site owners recently shared their goals for the year: some challenged themselves to write more. To write honestly. And also, to allow themselves to fail. Others hoped to find a clearer focus for their blog or to deepen connections. The start of a new year is also a time to step back and reevaluate our online routines: to trim the fat from a bloated media diet or to focus more on the people and things that matter to you. So, we asked a handful of writers: what’s your digital diet in 2017?
Rebecca Gelding, Music on the Mind
Last year when I wanted to get physically healthier, I tracked the number of calories I was eating (using MyFitnessPal). It’s amazing how much less I ate when eating became intentional rather than a habit.
The same is true for cutting down on social media.
Snacking constantly throughout the day on Twitter and Facebook, bingeing especially in the evenings, was a habit. It was interfering with time in my day that should have been real downtime or rest (see Rest or Present over Perfect).
In 2017, I’m going to be more intentional in my work and rest: logging on to Twitter and Facebook only at set times, using lists and searching hashtags to intentionally catch up on the main people I want to follow, and subscribing to blogs I love (such as The Thesis Whisperer and View from a Hovel) so I’ll never miss a relevant post.
My digital diet in 2017? Lean and clean.
My digital menu seems to shrink with age. I’m only 25, but I can’t remember the last time a news site was among my bookmarks — big news always gets to you somehow, so no need to look for it.
The alarming thing about the digital menu in 2017 isn’t only its monstrous size, but also how it’s served. I’d rather serve words on paper or E Ink. Screens are getting a bit too bright, a bit too full of other things. Like ads.
I enjoy discovering new bloggers through WordPress Discover, but with a certain moderation. I’d rather read one post and think 10 minutes about a suitable comment, only to discover I have nothing to add, than to hurry to the next post.
I almost never use Facebook and Twitter and am proud of not being chained to them. But what I’m really proud of is my digital abstinence — I only go online in the afternoon and evening. Mornings are for writing, evenings for reading books.
And as for my smartphone, it’s hidden somewhere in the wardrobe, on mute. People still call sometimes. At the door.
Big news always gets to you somehow, so no need to look for it.
Gretchen Kelly, Drifting Through My Open Mind
My social media diet for 2017 will probably go like any diet. I’ll start off with good intentions. I’ll set a schedule. I’ll sip my coffee while I read the news, scroll my feeds and check in with my writer friends and various groups, then log off when my cup is empty.
But then . . . I’ll get involved in an interesting conversation in a writer’s group. I’ll fall down the rabbit hole of a news story or political scandal. Time will evaporate and I’ll come up for air, feeling a little guilty and trying not to think about my lack of productivity.
Eventually, I’ll tire of the charade. The reality is that my time on social media ebbs and flows. Some weeks I’m unplugged completely. Weekends I’m typically offline. It all balances out in the end. I will try to strike a balance and find a happy middle. I won’t starve myself of the interactions and the enlightenment of never-ending information online.
I never did like diets.
Eventually, I’ll tire of the charade. The reality is that my time on social media ebbs and flows.
Like any good diet, my 2017 digital regimen will be a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Carbs often get a bad name, but they are necessary to fuel a curious mind. My digital carbs will consist of dense idea-laden texts, time-released through a steady drip of audiobooks and podcasts.
With all that mental-muscle flexing, protein will also be necessary for recovery. My digital protein will consist of meditation accompanied by the entrancing tones of binaural beats, and of course, a satisfying blend of personal-development audiobooks.
Lastly, we can’t forget the fat! My healthy digital fats will provide the nourishment necessary for a complete diet. This will consist of regularly checking the top trending YouTube videos to stay in touch with the latest memes, current events, and political blunders.
With this balanced diet, I look forward to making 2017 a great digital year!
Carbs often get a bad name, but they are necessary to fuel a curious mind.
This year will be one of digital change for me. I want to start living less on my phone and more in the real world — a little tough when you think about the fact I have a blog and also recently started a YouTube channel.
I also want to create more instead of consume. I regularly dive down internet rabbit holes and it’s hard to get out of them. Not just on WordPress — I’m really bad with forums as well. Sometimes I’ll read for hours and won’t even realize how much time went by.
This year will be a year of balance for me. Balance between my online life and my real life, but also a balance between my work life and my personal life. It’ll be tough, but it’ll be a year full of development and I’m really excited about it.
I also want to create more instead of consume.
Julia Moellers, The Joy Underneath
I like online articles that examine social or artistic culture. Sometimes I crave highbrow essays from respected journals; often I can only handle random, funny lists. When I finally grow tired of words, I collect images of fine art or illustration and organize them onto boards. It’s one of the few things I do for pure enjoyment, without a greater agenda.
I used to put a lot of effort into Facebook status updates, which was my clue, about four years ago, that I needed a blog. Now I mostly use Facebook to see what people are talking about politically.
But I prefer to read printed books above all else. If a novel is contained inside an electronic device with access to the internet, it’s more difficult to keep the outside world at bay. And books seem to lose their soul a bit when they are put into digital form.
I prefer to read printed books above all else.
A few months ago, I realized that Facebook is the place where friends become strangers, while WordPress is the place where strangers become friends. As such, I’ve been spending more time creating content for my blog, in addition to reading and interacting with as many blogs as I can.
WordPress is where I get my daily dose of inspiration and insight into the lives of others around the world. I can’t get that anywhere else.
As far as other social media platforms are concerned — I rely on Twitter for news, witty one liners, and hot takes filled with exaggerated panic. It’s fun. Meanwhile, Instagram is where I view pictures that tell as many as 1000 words, or sometimes just one — “pizza.”
Between WordPress, Twitter, and Instagram, I have three meals a day; YouTube is my midnight snack.
That is my digital diet for 2017.
I realized that Facebook is the place where friends become strangers, while WordPress is the place where strangers become friends.
What’s your online routine in 2017?
I quit any social media for two years. I still don’t have FB account, I don’t really read news, because 80% of them are just feeding fearful titles for clicks, but I discovered what I want to write and started to do that. Now I have a blog for a few months and I’m on Twitter for three days now, and feel like in a crowded and noisy swimmingpool! Glad I’m dizzy there, so I’m not yet indulging too much :)) real books and real notebooks. That’s better for my mind.
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You’re so right. I’ve shied away from most news for the same reason, and I’m yet to get a Twitter either. I try not to go on social media too much but I do still have one for family that lives too far away, but that’s the only reason, and I’d have to agree with you about WordPress being about reading and not sharing, people get too lost in how their selfies look and how many likes they’ll get that it’s nice to find a site where that isn’t top priority.
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“A few months ago, I realized that Facebook is the place where friends become strangers, while WordPress is the place where strangers become friends.” I agree with Paul! Here people really read and think about it and give feedback. I like the pace of peace here. Here it’s not about sharing without reading. And its not about selfies. I like it here. 🙂
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I’ve been thinking about all this. Maybe in 2018 I’ll be ready …
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Trust me, I had the same feeling. But after deactivating your account, it will take you a week to be over it. Just try 🙂
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Last year I started dieting on social media. I tried to give up completely, but noticed that I felt like I was missing out for being completely detached from everyone else (because sadly people live more digitally than factually nowadays). As for my blog, that is only a couple weeks old, I want to give it my all and see where it goes. Not thinking too much on monetizing it, just enjoying what I like the most: writing about books, and feel like I am sharing something so precious to me.
But after reading this article I definitely recommend everyone a social media cleansing. The amount of unnecessary information there can make you feel a little lethargic at times.
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There are times when Twitter really fires my imagination, and times when I scroll aimlessly – clearly a waste of time!
If I can cut out the mindless bit I’ll be happy!
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But social media can be good to find inspiring content! However, we all know that’s not how it goes most times, haha. You want to search something useful and end up looking at cat memes.
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Exactly!
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That was one of my biggest fear – missing out something. But after these two years (and still – as I didn’t return to FB) I realized that now I have the possibility to call someone and ask – how are you? because – I don’t know! And now I have more reason to write a letter or call or meet because I really care about my closest ones. But the things I miss, they aren’t really that important. I didn’t know that before 🙂 I was scared that I will be “left out”, but nothing like that happened. My head is free from unnecessary likes and shares and infos and selfies, but the relationship bonds between me and my friends that matter to me grew stronger. But maybe that is just my experience and my story, I don’t know 🙂
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I agree with Julia Moellers. There is no substitute for a printed book.
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Quite agree. I’m not down on digital, but I never read a book on a screen.
Gotta have something to hold, and look at.
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“These gentle tree pulp pages” as Jack Kerouac once wrote. Pages of real books are warm like a tree.
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Very nice
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Totally agree.
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I still enjoy a Braille book. In fact I just got a Braille magazine in the mail the other day. Snail Mail and Braille at the same tie. How’s that for stepping away.
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There’s something about social media that gets me stressed. I recently took everything away except for Twitter cause it’s where I share my posts with my friends. I’ve made a rule that if I check it more than 4 times a day I can’t touch it for that day. Still a longs way to go but it’s a start. I do use a news app (BBC) cause I like to know what’s happening. Anyway best of luck to everyone with their digital diets.
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Lots of us definitely need to get some balance when it comes to social media, that’s for sure.
We need a new twitter app – check it more than four times in a day and it locks you out!
Actually I imagine that app already exists somewhere.
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Hmm…. That’s an awesome idea.
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Trying not to didn’t work for me… I had to quit completely. Gosh I sound like an alcoholic haha. But now I can return a little bit because I know the difference and don’t want to fall back.
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Each writer here brings a unique perspective to digital usage. Congratulations to these bloggers and thank you for sharing your ideas. Food for thought!
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Reblogged this on My Everything Blog and commented:
I think I might be the opposite of most for 2017. My goal is to EXPAND my digital diet and scale back my ACTUAL diet. I want to connect with others that I wouldn’t normally get to come in contact with, hence the reason for the new blog, and scale back my eating habits to try and eat only healthy, whole foods. Not that that means I don’t have mint chocolate chip in the freezer right now. 🙂 Hopefully with the 2 thing combine, I’ll be a well rounded individual for 2017!
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Reblogged this on saneteachers and commented:
This latest from Discover is great reading. Congratulations to all, but especially to Paul from captainsspeech.wordpress.com for being a part of this feature.
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Hmm..my online routine in instagramming and doing other shit online. I don’t have a FB acc because I’m not allowed and I don’t like FB anyways so it doesn’t count.. There’s WordPress which I started today and till now I think its really cool. Anyways my online routine, I guess, is to surf and listen to music and snatch trailers and do stuff like that. Just normal teenage stuff. Nothing abnormal here 😛
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“Cutting down on social media”
“Big news finds you, no need to look for it”
“I prefer to read printed books above else”
There’s a trend here. Have we all had enough of digital connection?
Well no, probably. It’s a thought though isn’t it?
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I’m open to change in my online habits in 2017, and that mostly means less time online. I have been blogging for a few years now and I’m always considering stopping it as it can eat up time and creates busy work that keeps me from my book deadlines. But ultimately I enjoy it. I can only read so much in a given week, so I seem to not be reading a lot of new bloggers. Facebook and Twitter leave me curiously empty. Twitter is overwhelming and has so much nosiest just makes me turn it off. Facebook is pretty much or friends, old classmates and family. A few minutes twice a day perhaps. And who knows what will be developed this year!
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I get it about wanting to control one’s social media activity – it is a time-chewer. But right now, right here in the U.S., social media is one of the principal means by which we object, advocate, and band together to protect our rights and try to hold back a very damaging conservative agenda. We have a crisis and communication is how we’re going to survive it. I’m all for print newspapers, hardcover books, and, of course, human, face to face, interaction, but those things don’t move fast enough right now. Social media is this very second. And, right now, we have no seconds to lose.
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As you long as you know it’s real news…to act on.
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I was looking at Twitter ALL the TIME, so I deactivated my account. I’ve reduced my Facebook time but could do better. My smartphone isn’t always in my hand these days but it’s nearby. WhatsApp time is reduced to minimal time. Tada! More writing and reading time.
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I’m not on FB, and my Twitter’s mainly there to support some of my blogposts, and to share thoughts or articles that have caught my attention. For my consultant’s job, I read very many international newspapers online, every day. Been doing it for years, but now I’ve got indigestion, specially with what’s been going on in the world lately – not to mention what’s ahead. So maybe I’d rather not know 🙂 so I’m going to cut down drastically on news. Concentrate on writing more.
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I love this, great post!
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My diet has been similar for blogging and social media interaction for my personal blog: I stick to blogging, interacting with commenters, discovering new blogs (probably under a few hrs. per wk.) where I can learn something new and they fit with my blog passions.
One thing my diet does not include: reading journal blogs. I like photography blogs but prefer those with some text on general location/blogger key commentary, etc.
I very rarely read twitter nor facebook feeds from individual bloggers. I stick to only certain organizations’ twitter and FB feeds. Life is short… Our star shines very briefly in the night.
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I should digital diet. I enjoy blogging so much, it’s what gets me really excited and I know I want to do it. I agree, we do make friends here. I need to read more. I actually started a book, but I have a reading slump, ups. As for social media, I don’t use it that often. I usually use Instagram and that is where I read the news. But all in all I just want to focus on my blog and my plan in the future. 😆😆
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Social media can be a blessing and a curse. While it’s great hearing about what everyone’s up to, I think knowing 24/7 what your friends are doing isn’t good. What conversation can you spark with them if you already know everything they did? What can substitute a nice phone call or meeting somewhere to catch up?
And while digital books are fine, I’ll always prefer a book in hand, with real pages that I can actually turn!
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Even though by deactivating my Facebook and Instagram reduced my readers, I still prefer this way. I will activate those accounts later on, but currently I blog for my pleasure. I do share the link on Twitter and Pinterest, but I don’t use them that much, especially Twitter. It consumes us, I don’t want to look back and remember how many likes I got on my IG pic, I want to create genuine moments (i’m not saying that ppl who share their stuff aren’t genuine, but at some point we want to get one like more).
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I know I have an addiction to social media. I am also a blogger who loves not only blogging original but reblogging others. I have set myself a goal to post and repost more informative and positive material. I have begun a Positive Perspective series, and am enjoying great results. However, although I have vowed to cut back on all this, here I am reading and commenting on yet another post. LOL!
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This year will be my diet from social media, i hope i can life in my real life and hangout with friend who are leave social media for better life too, like me. I think it will hard to do, but i realize i have to do that.
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Everybody has their own opinion on anything, but if you know how to handle your time and discipline yourself in all aspects of life, I guess there’s no problem at all.
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This is a collection of good experience and strong determination. Much time is spent on social media so little time is left for writing, thinking and understanding. Our brain is really talking organ and has huge potential of connectivity. Working potential is managed with time to grab progress on the digital desk. I appreciate your writing. Thank you.
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I have been inspired to try the ‘Digital Diet. Great Post! Thanks for sharing.
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I gave up on social media last year for I had my Board Exams. And honestly I wasn’t even a member of WordPress then. I really wanted a canvas to paint my thoughts then and I’m glad that one of my friends suggested WordPress to me. Now that I am a part of this family, the definition of being ‘social to me has changed. My world belongs here.
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I’m new here too! It seems like a community of very inspiring ppl. I love it!
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Yes!!
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Looks like I need to plan my diet too!
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Since I maintain several Facebook pages for various people I cannot help but to be on it. I always try to do all my posts first thing in the morning and then responding to comments or questions as they come in but I will almost always drift over to my personal page and that’s where the trouble starts. I am also an Instagram junkie because I follow so many amazing artist that I cannot help being sucked in to all the visual stimulation.
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I think this post is fantastic! There is definitely a need to moderate social media in our lives like a diet. Especially with our youth who believe that social media is like alcohol; waiting to be experimented with and those who are willing to take risks for such a simple indulgence that can easily become overrated when over-consumed. For me personally, while it is harder to detach, I have decided to alter my view of social media, as it was designed for: social use. Not political use, not religious use, not even for big news, just to see what is going on in my friends’ lives and what they are doing in this great big world. Too much of our media is skewed and I believe that places like social media should be used for just that. If people want to share their ideas, WordPress is a better place! I want to read what people really think and using information to justify their statements, rather than personal opinion alone. For me, social media will now be used as a place to share what is going on in my life, not what else is going on outside of my life. Also, I do want to reduce the time I am spent on it so I can use my creative intellect in other areas such as art and reading print books. Not to mention, it will save my eyes in the long run!
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My digital diet is not to write on to many sites just stick to the ones that work, so now I am trying WordPress but for me Google+ works well also I use as many free ads as possible this way you can get lots of clicks for free. Nice post.
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just like an actual diet, i tend to eat a lot of junkfood nowadays. i need to really change my digital diet to something i would benefit from. so i will be more keen of my time. i really want to spend more time in the real world and on reading other people’s blogs rather than getting envious over other people’s lives on facebook.
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Wonderful. ☺
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Wow, I guess I’ve never thought about how much time I spend on social media 😦
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Paul nearly made we cry with that “Facebook is where friends become strangers…” quote. Golly, lots to think about for my 2017 digital diet!
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Wow i love this i actually started going slow on social media and deliberately making choices on the same yesterday, and today i come across this 2017 digital diet, am really encouraged.
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My “Digital Diet” consists of consuming as much knowledge and wisdom as I can … I love reading about new things and meeting new people and hence I want to really open up to the world and welcome as many people as I can in my world … I have this world in me where people are not discriminated because of their religion, region, color, caste, creed, sex, level of education, economic status etc. etc. … All you need is love in order to be a part of it … Much love … Sugarsatchet
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I too have started my digital detox, as like most people, social media has become nothing more than a distraction from the real world for me. I had a huge FB cull, and now just have my closest friends and family on there. No more FOMO! Also, I deleted my Instagram and SnapChat accounts as they were adding no value at all to my life. About 6 weeks in and I’m feeling great, I spend more time with my family, and I have a lot more time for reading. I’d recommend the digital detox to everyone who feels like it’s all a bit much these days
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I am trying to keep away from FB too! It doesn’t usually have much constructive info on it. I like wordpress much better!
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FB has too much drama! Promotes anger bullying and causes chaos. I do use but am working to change my focus.
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Wonderful read!
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I think it is really hard to be on diet and not use FB nowadays but any social media will never replace book and meeting with friends face to face
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It’s interesting how social media can so easily consume us. I find that I go through phases where I am on social media more than other times, so that quote about how it ebbs and flows resonated with me. Do you think that you will try to be more targeted in your use of social media now?
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