It’s no secret that Facebook has come under fire in recent years.
From data breaches to privacy concerns, many people are rethinking their relationship with the social media giant.
And while it may seem like quitting Facebook would be a huge inconvenience, there are actually some surprising benefits to doing so.
Here is the top ten of them.
1. More time for important things
One of the biggest complaints about Facebook is that it’s a huge time suck.
If you’re spending hours every day scrolling through your newsfeed, that’s time you could be using to do something more productive—or even just something more enjoyable.
When you quit Facebook, you’ll have more time to focus on the things that are really important to you.
2. Fewer distractions
Another common complaint about Facebook is that it’s incredibly distracting.
If you’re trying to get work done but find yourself constantly getting sucked into your newsfeed, quitting Facebook can help.
With one less distraction, you’ll be able to focus more on what you’re supposed to be doing and get better results.
3. Improved mental health
Spending too much time on social media has been linked to a number of negative mental health effects, including anxiety and depression.
If you find that using Facebook makes you feel bad about yourself, quitting can be a good way to improve your mental health.
You might be surprised at how much better you feel when you’re not constantly comparing your life to others.
4. Less screen time
We’re all spending more and more time in front of screens these days.
But it’s not necessarily good for our health—especially if we’re staring at a computer all day.
If you quit Facebook, you’ll have less opportunity to spend time staring at a screen, which can be especially helpful if you spend most of your day in an office job.
5. Fewer ads
Facebook is notoriously aggressive with its advertising tactics.
As a result, there are often advertisements on the side of your newsfeed or even between posts themselves.
Many people find this annoying, so quitting Facebook means fewer ads cluttering up your feed.
And since they’re no longer tailored to your interests, those same ads will be less effective at getting you to click on them too.
6. Improved sleep
It’s no secret that staring at a screen late at night can mess with your sleep.
Even if you don’t realize it, all of the time spent scrolling through Facebook or watching videos can have a negative effect on your ability to sleep well.
If this is an issue for you, quitting Facebook might be some help in improving your sleep habits.
7. Less social pressure
Social media has changed what we consider “social norms” in a lot of ways, but perhaps nowhere more so than with our relationships and friendships.
It used to be considered rude to “talk behind someone’s back,” but now people are doing it openly—and often sharing their thoughts on Facebook.
If you’re finding yourself feeling constant jealousy or simply not enjoying your social life, quitting might be a good way to reduce that pressure.
8. Privacy
A lot of people are concerned about the ways in which Facebook uses and stores our data these days.
It’s hard to know who has access to it and how it might be put to use without your knowledge or permission, but if you quit Facebook, all of that information is suddenly unavailable to anyone else but you.
And because there’s less information floating around out there about you, it can help protect your privacy in other areas too—for example, by making it harder for identity thieves to steal your financial data from places like banks and card companies.
9. Fewer interruptions
It can be difficult to go on Facebook and not get interrupted in some way—by notification, an invitation to join a group or play a game, etc.
If you’re trying to focus on something important or simply want some peace and quiet, quitting will help ensure that you don’t get these interruptions constantly throughout the day.
10. Better work-life balance
We’re all guilty of spending too much time on our phones at times, but if you’re constantly checking your phone for notifications from Facebook or other apps during off hours, it can really throw off your work-life balance.
And when you make the decision to quit Facebook, it’s likely that you’ll be less tempted to check your phone while you’re out of the office.
This is especially important if you’re someone who works in an environment where taking personal calls or checking social media can seriously hurt your professional image.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to quitting Facebook, both for your mental health and for the other areas of your life.
Whether you’re looking for more privacy, better sleep, or simply a little less pressure from social media, it’s worth considering making the switch to leave Facebook behind.