Social media has become part of every day life for many of us. Even for me, who isn’t a keen social media person. I still log in dutifully every day on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter and check my feeds.
It hit me yesterday just how ingrained social sites had become in my life when I wished my Mum happy anniversary on Facebook when she didn’t answer her landline or mobile phone in the morning. And, I couldn’t contact my daughter. She grew up online, and I originally joined sites like MySpace and later, Facebook to keep tabs on her.
You wouldn’t believe the heart lurching panic when I hadn’t seen her on Facebook for 2 whole days. She hadn’t responded to my chat message either and her phone was off. For someone who lives with a phone glued to her hand, beeping away on social sites like Facebook and Twitter – this was unheard of!
Anyway, I digress – Darling Daughter is fine, just unplugging and taking a break from all the beeping.
It would appear we all need to unplug for a while too.
Getting Our Social Media Fix
Browser Media recently conducted a study into how the social networks impact on our daily lives. The results are quite fascinating, not least because they are UK social media stats.
The average adult in the UK will spend 2 years and four months on social networking sites over their lifetime and will sacrifice basic needs to get their social media fix. The study participants admitted that social media replaced:
- Sleeping
- Cooking
- Sex
- Time for their children
- Time for their partner
I’ll admit to being an Internet Junkie. I do get the shakes when I can’t get online! It is one of the reasons why I don’t have a smart phone – I’d never switch off… I’d still prefer to speak to people – on the phone or face to face.
Not everyone is addicted to social media. 33% of the study participants said they spend no time at all on social networking sites. Perhaps the rest of us should take a leaf out of their book!
Without further ado – here’s the infographic
Social Media Sacrifices
Infographic credit Browser Media
Over to you…
Are you one of the 10% sacrificing sleep or 8% giving up sex to get your daily dose of social media? What do you think of the stats? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Don’t forget to share these stats on your social networks too, just click your button of choice on the left or below 🙂
Are You Giving Up Sex For Your Social Media Fix? [Infographic] by Jan Kearney
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Each to their own I say. What’s good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander. Dropping by from UBC.
Hi Suzy, thanks for popping in – good luck with the UBC 🙂
Wow, great blog – very thought provoking. I try to do my social media while I am doing other things i.e. reading blogs while drying my hair, checking Facebook while I wait for the kettle to boil etc!
Hi Lyn, I have to ask… How do you read when drying your hair? I run out of hands and/or space lol Thanks for popping in and sharing your social secrets 🙂
Shared with my Twitter followers – great post!
Thank you! Have a wonderful weekend, Martha 🙂
I don’t know what my time on social media is but I do love my smart phone! Never leave home without it!
I’m sure one day I’ll give in and get one too! Thanks for popping in, Toni 🙂
I’ve had to create a work schedule for my blogging and social media so that the rest of my life didn’t suffer. I’m on the internet now, because I’m waiting for the dogs’ bedding to dry and they’re sleeping. So I thought I’d check out a few more UBC posts! 🙂
My dog lets me know in no uncertain terms when I’m spending too much time at the keyboard lol
Sometimes I do have to get tough and put puppy playtime back an hour or so while I get things finished – if it was up to her it would be all day play! She’s sleeping now, mind you I should be too it’s almost 4am…
Thanks for popping in Kimberly 🙂
lol, well now let’s just say I like social media and I gladly let it replace some of the time I spend on household chores but I have no trouble walking away from it when my hubby comes and we spend the evening doing something together.
It doesn’t take much to distract me from doing chores either Shawn! As long as that is all it is interferring with eh? lol Thanks for popping in 🙂
All this scares me. I’m afraid we’ll forget how to react in person with each other, due to all the plugging in and all the social business online. Thanks for the info. I try to unplug one day a week just to get a little balance.
It seems our lives are lived out on social sites – yes it is scary! I think I’ll join you and practice unplugging each week. Thanks for popping in Amy 🙂
Hi Jan
That’s scary – although I suppose it’s encouraging for those of us trying to improve our social media presence.
I will confess to sacrificing sleeping, cooking and leisure time for social media sites 🙂
It would be great if we can fathom how to tap into all that social time effectively – most businesses dont though! I don’t sacrifice anything for social time – now surfing, reading online and the occassional game – guilty as charged! Thanks for popping in, Joy 🙂
I have to admit, I spend more time on Facebook than anywhere else (when I’m online) checking it far too often I would think!
Like you, I get the shakes if the internet is down and I can’t access my social media sites, even though there is plenty I can do to keep me busy at the keys, offline!
I realised yesterday that Facebook beeps. My sound is usually off unless I am watching/listening to something. Beep, beep, beep because someone was posting on a thread. And every single time it beeped I stopped and went to look. It’s like pavlovs dog…
Aye Bonnie, plenty to be doing at the keyboard even when unplugged! Thanks for popping in 🙂
Hi Jan, what an interesting blog! I very much enjoyed it. Thankfully no I am not one of those people. I commit to only 30 mins a day for my business. I would rather read a book, watch my favorite show with my husband than spend hours online. Maybe that’s why I’m so far behind on marketing strategies etc. LOL I try to separate my “office hours” since I work at home. My guilty pleasure would be Sunday mornings when I blog, do my Hootsuite schedule for the week and read and comment on other’s blogs:) I just commented to my husband how I so admire you guys blogging everyday, whether it’s writing and or video. Holy smack I am so far behind I think I’m first:))
You are disciplined, Debra – I work from home and find myself tapping away at 3am when I can’t sleep. But then I only have me and the dog to please at home these days, so no real problem!
Fitting the time into blog daily is a challenge for me – I’m terrible at keeping up with my own stuff!
My site is called Life Takes Over, but it should be called “Social Media Takes Over” LOL! This is a great post. I love the infographic. Found you through the Ultimate Blog Challenge.
Hi Nancy, thanks for popping in from the UBC – hope you’re enjoying the challenge 🙂 Oh yes, I’m with you some days – Social Media does indeed take over!