Facebook should come with a warning.
My name is Marjorie, and I’m addicted to Facebook. It’s a true story. I can get sucked into social media better than just about anyone I know. Not a good thing when you have big goals you are trying to reach. Especially not a good thing when you tout the benefits of “living intentionally” like here, here, and even here.
But, alas, I am human. I have my vices. And I recognize some are more detrimental than others. While Facebook isn’t harming me or anyone else directly, it certainly does very little to help me reach my dreams. And if I am being honest with myself, what starts out as a genuine interest in sharing something with family or checking out what my friends are up to, often leads to rabbit trails of frustration, irritation, and general feelings of meh.
Maybe what gives you feelings of meh isn’t social media, maybe it’s television, or video games, or binge-watching Scandal; whatever it is, you know it isn’t contributing to your best self.
What’s weird is I don’t believe we intentionally choose these things but they sort of choose us in the space that is devoid of a better choice—or plan.
So, here I give you my better plan of 100 things that I can do besides Facebook that all point me in the direction of certain goals or things that give me feelings of the-opposite-of-meh. Some, you will see, are super-basic. I’m okay with that—we are not trying to synthesize a new stable super-heavy element. The goal is to build momentum—positive momentum—toward the things that we want and away from the things that don’t serve us.
Each of these things (with only a couple exceptions) is designed to be doable in about five minutes—not-so-coincidentally the amount of time I am bored before I make a default-decision to “just see what’s happening on Facebook”…and 45 minutes later.
They are also designed to be done in many different places and under different circumstances. Sometimes boredom occurs while sitting in my car because I have five minutes between appointments; sometimes while unwinding at home after a full-day of training; sometimes during weekends with no particular plans.
Because of this, I want a Facebook alternative for any time, any place. And, before you ask, ya, many of these I already just do, but the idea is to have a go-to plan to replace the default plan.
Following is my list, what would you add?
100 things to do besides Facebook:
Health/Fitness
- squats
- lunges
- plank
- push-ups
- dips
- jumping jacks
- downward dog
- run in place or on treadmill
- burpees
- mountain climbers
- walk dog
- drink a big glass of water
- sit outside getting vitamin D
Professional/Intellectual
- write an article
- update website speaking schedule
- make a meme
- clean up laptop desktop
- send LinkedIn emails to 15 weekly contacts
- read a book
- peruse inc.com
- teamroom (internal website)
- corporate website
- Sudoku puzzle
- solitaire
- audio book from collection
- email a connection to say “hi”
Spiritual
- buy a snack for a homeless person
- pray for someone or something besides self
- lighthouse cd
- rosary
- daily mass readings
- go to confession
- sit inside church
- write 20 things for which I’m thankful
- listen to music
Family
- play a game with Smoochy (my adorable, hysterical, whimsical five year old)
- read to Smoochy
- crafts with Smoochy
- push Smoochy on the swing
- help Smoochy with letters
- help Smoochy with numbers
- talk to husband (novel idea, huh?)
- text mom
- call mom
- start dinner
- call Grams and Gramps
- write a letter to Grams and Gramps
- help smooch draw a picture or write a letter to someone
Organizational
- change out hand towels
- get groceries
- fill up gas tank
- pay bills
- balance checkbook
- clean chicken coop
- sweep kitchen floor
- put away dishes
- throw in a load of laundry
- fold a load of laundry
- put away a load/pile of laundry
- dust living room
- find one bag of stuff to donate
- organize one bin in garage
- walk down the driveway to get mail (1/10th of the mile each way, this is an event, folks!)
- clean the toilets
- clean the sinks
- clean the microwave
- organize my desk
- work on taxes
- clean stovetop
- refill toilet paper rolls in bathroom
- change sheets
- empty trash baskets
- brush the dog
- shark the floors
- vacuum playroom
- vacuum bedroom
- vacuum living room
- vacuum the formal room
- sort/review mail on counter
- make tomorrow’s lunch
- pick out tomorrow’s outfit
- clean closet
- clean bathtub
- clean shower
- change front door wreath
- put away seasonal decorations
- fill up chicken food
- change chicken water
…Seriously. Why is this category so long?! Ugh.
Personal
- visualize dreams
- write out my goals and “why”s
- make deodorant
- make toothpaste
- make laundry soap (I like to make natural products; don’t hate the playa, hate the game)
- make seasonal craft
- sewing project
- cut some flowers
- weed the rose beds
- water indoor plants
- water outdoor gardens
- make some tea
FreeDictionary.com says that the phrase “buy time” means to increase the time available for a specific purpose. So, I guess, I really can show you how to buy some time—literally and figuratively.
Marjorie Dudley 