{"id":260,"date":"2018-04-18T17:18:25","date_gmt":"2018-04-18T17:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.facebuddha.co\/Enter\/?page_id=260"},"modified":"2018-06-17T17:23:23","modified_gmt":"2018-06-17T17:23:23","slug":"mindfulnesschallenge","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.facebuddha.co\/Enter\/mindfulnesschallenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebuddha Mindfulness Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

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To bring attention to Mental Health Awareness Month\u00a0<\/strong>in May, 2018, Dr. Ravi Chandra, psychiatrist, Buddhist, and author of the book Facebuddha: Transcendence in the Age of Social Networks<\/a><\/em>, initiated the Facebuddha Mindfulness Challenge!<\/strong> Even though the month has passed, it’s always a good time to take the challenge!<\/p>\n

The Facebuddha Mindfulness Challenge is a three-week experiment consisting of easy to follow steps to take an intentional break from social media, notice the impact and make decisions to improve your mental and relational health.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve grown very attached to social media, but it\u2019s important to recognize how it\u2019s affecting us, cognitively, emotionally, relationally and even physically. Astonishingly, the average internet user spends about two hours a day on social media<\/a>, which translates to a total of 14 hours a week! That\u2019s a part-time job! Is this job paying off as we\u2019d like? Where is it taking us?<\/p>\n

The Facebuddha Mindfulness Challenge will help you become aware of your activity and make healthier choices about whether and how to use social media. As described in Facebuddha<\/em>and in a previous Psychology Today blog post (\u201cIs Facebook Destroying Society and Your Mental Health?<\/a>\u201d, January 29, 2018), several studies implicate social media in deteriorating well-being. Deactivating Facebook for one week led to increased happiness. What effects will taking a break have for you? Dr. Chandra describes the effects of his own social media deactivation in his book and in an Op-Ed in the New York Daily News (\u201cDeactivate Facebook to Become Human Again<\/a>\u201d, March 28, 2015).<\/p>\n

Week One:\u00a0<\/strong>Observations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Keep a journal (on paper or in your notes app) detailing your use of social media. Note when and where you open a social media app on your phone or desktop. How long do you use it? What compelled you to use it? What did you get out of the experience, emotionally and relationally? How was it satisfying or dissatisfying? Track where you often use social media– at the stop light while you\u2019re driving? On the toilet? When you\u2019re waiting in line to make a purchase? When you\u2019re feeling bored, lonely, curious or frustrated? Note your emotion and intention \u2013 this will become fuel for thinking about alternative ways to respond to your emotions and needs.<\/p>\n

During this observation period, spend some time making a list of all the things you will do during your break aka the 14 hours you\u2019re reclaiming by not being on social media!<\/p>\n