Today's non-fiction prompt: What is your favorite time waster? Be specific: write down the websites and what you get out of spending time on them. The television shows and movies that you've watched in the last movies. The phone calls, coffee dates, lunches, or evenings out that robbed you of time you'd like to have back. What time of day are you most likely to engage in these time wasters and why? THAT IS YOUR WRITING TIME!!
My favorite time waster has to be, without a doubt, Pinterest. I could spend hours perusing memes, recipes, DIY projects, and even teaching ideas. Sadly, I have spent hours doing said perusing. And while most of my pins have not been touched since pinning, there are also just as many that I have actually utilized either in my classroom, my kitchen, or for my own personal life hacks. But, I digress. More often than not, Pinterest truly is a time waster for me. Usually it takes place in the evenings, when I am winding down from a long day and just need to "zone out" for a bit. Seems innocent enough, until I realize I'm capable of zoning out for hours at a time! Even if I just spent the time reading, it could be more beneficial for me. I've found that the more I read, the more likely I am to write, and when I stop reading, I stop writing. Coincidence? I think not.
My second favorite time waster is probably Facebook. Here I can stalk old high school classmates and college friends, usually all with the same result - babies, babies, and more babies. With the occasional "fur baby" thrown in there for good measure. The main reason I haven't shut down my Facebook account is that I live an ocean away from the majority of my loved ones, and I find it a helpful way to stay connected. But most of my time on Facebook is actually spent not communicating, but rather, lurking. Peering into the "private" perfect lives of my peers and growing more and more dissatisfied with my own situation. Pictures of weddings and engagements remind me that I'm 27 and still single to mingle. Adorable baby pictures remind me that I'm still not a mommy. Posts from family remind me that I'm missing out on birthday parties, game nights, and general celebrations of life with loved ones. So much of my time is wasted watching those around me, wishing I had what they had and not even considering how blessed I am to be where I am, doing what I'm doing.
The second half of my Facebook affair is the desire for affirmation, recognition, and let's just call it what it is: attention. Everyone is constantly competing for attention. I saw a quote once that said, "I share, therefore I am." Why do I write status updates about my daily runs? Because I want people to be impressed by my hard work and pat me on the back. Why do I post pictures of new haircuts? Because it feels good when people compliment me. Why do I share pictures of my lunch? Why not??
When I stop to think about how much time I truly spend on Facebook alone, it's embarrassing. Having the app on my iPad just makes it that much easier to pop on for a minute here, two minutes there, half of my lunch break, oh, and one more time before heading home for the day. If I added up all the minutes spent throughout the day checking Facebook, I'd be able to Write Fifteen Minutes A Day multiple times!
I think I might have a problem.
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