Quick Tip Tuesday: Facebook. Just Stop.

I have to say, I never, ever thought I'd be writing this post. But here we go.

The goal of these quick tips is to simplify. Because really, isn't that the goal of every organizing project? We find a system that isn't working - something that aggravates our daily routine, and frankly, aggravates us! And we tear it apart and make an even bigger mess than before so we can find a better system that simplifies life.

These quick projects do the same thing, with the added benefit of being, well, quick! These are quick fixes that take little or no time but have a big impact.

Today's quick tip? Just stop with all the Facebook.

Now hear me out. I am not getting rid of Facebook. It is one of the main ways I communicate with not only my immediate family in Canada, but my extended family and close friends that live all across the globe.

And one day I realized...I'm spending a lot of time on Facebook NOT doing those things. Instead, I was scrolling through a lot of posts I didn't even stop to read, finding dumb links to click on, and just generally wasting time. I didn't even dare try to add up the amount of time I spent on Facebook each day...it is so convenient on our smartphones, isn't it?

Here are the steps I took to stop the mindless scrolling and use Facebook - sparingly - for only the things I wanted it for.

1. I changed what I was seeing in my newsfeed by "hiding" people. This sounds awful, I know. :) But lets face the truth - do you really care about the posts and lives of everyone you are friends with? I didn't think so. Perhaps I should have been brutal and just unfriended but I'm too nice. :)

To "hide" people from appearing in your news feed, follow these steps...

          ...in the top right corner of each person's post is a tiny, almost invisible arrow. Click on the arrow to reveal a drop-down menu.

          ...click on "unfollow John Doe".

Aaaand that is it! It took me only a few minutes to scroll through my news feed and unfollow the people and pages I no longer wanted to see in my newsfeed. I try to be brutally honest and only keep those I really, really want to keep tabs on. I usually find one or two more to hide each day as I scroll through, so this is easy to maintain as you go forward.

Now I can really enjoy Facebook...my feed is full of family posts, pictures of my friends cute kids, and uplifting, spiritual conversations. Best decision ever.

2. I also changed how easily accessible Facebook is. I didn't delete it off my phone completely, but I did move it from my home screen so I can't see that little red circle when I have a notification. Darn those notifications. :)

I used to have Facebook as my home page in my browser, so it opened first every time I opened my computer. I changed my home page to So Sew Organized The Shop instead, because I want to see those cheery colors and inspiration every day!

That was a lot of words for something that is a quick fix, wasn't it. :) But honestly, this is a quick fix...something you can do in just a few minutes that will literally save you hours. Now when I do have time for lingering on my phone, I prefer to scroll through Instagram or my Bloglovin' feed (because I just discovered that app and...holla).

Facebook may not be a mindless time-sucker for you, but what is? What quick changes could you make to not only save time but also give you time for more things you love? If you could benefit from making changes to your Facebook habits, can I challenge you to JUST DO IT. You'll be glad you did!

Tell me about the changes you could make - or have already made - in the comments below!