Why I decided to quit Facebook There is life after Facebook Source: news.com.au Facebook users taking a break from the site Digital breaks increasingly common says social media expert Twitter, Instagram and Four Square popular alternatives ARE we finally bored of Facebook? Research from the Pew Institute in the United States this week has shown that 61 per cent of Facebook users have taken a break of several weeks or more. And while most people don't delete their profiles permanently a growing number are choosing not to return. I am one of the 61 per cent. A couple of weeks before Christmas I decided to give Facebook the flick. This was by no means an easy decision. I loved Facebook. I was the person who'd post every day, at least once. I loved reading other people's updates and flicking through their holiday snaps and making jokes and just generally feeling like I was in touch with people from all stages of my life, anytime I wanted to be. Some people have written at length about the reasons why Facebook friends are not "real" friends. Personally, I don't buy that because grown ups know the difference between a real and imagined friendship. And I still think that one of the best things about the site by far is being able to see and keep up with friends interstate and overseas. My main problem was my devotion to checking Facebook was making me bored and judgemental. Having access to the site all day at work makes it easy to check it pretty much all the time. Every now and then I'd catch a glimpse of a friend's brilliance, creativity or genuinely great news and be excited. But most of the time, it was becoming a case of one-upmanship. Then there were the people that I felt like I wanted to protect. You know friends who post stuff endlessly. Or the people whose posts were constantly ignored - as if there was something wrong with them. That felt mean. With the benefit of a couple of weeks sans Facebook I started to realise that just like anything addictive - after a few days without it, you don't really miss it that much. Some people also say that collecting "likes" gets addictive. Even unconsciously. The problem is that very few of us are marketing experts - and that's essentially what people who are good at Facebook tend to be. They know how to market the best parts of themselves and so they will. But how much of that stuff do you really want to read? Melbourne social media expert, Paul Kaan said digital breaks are becoming more common as our lives continue. He said people are experimenting with different ways of blocking out the constant "noise" and stream of information that floods our lives, inbox and Smartphones every day. People might take a break for a weekend, a week or even several months. They're asking themselves what do I want to get out of this interaction and is what currently happening actually making my life better," Mr Kaan said. Facebook tends to be a one dimensional kind of channel - only good for friends and family. Compare that to something like Google Plus, Twitter, and Instagram where you can actually build professional networks, get inspiration and collect information as well as chat with friends. The Pew research found that a big proportion of people blamed "the stupid comments" for their Facebook break. This was not one of my bugbears, but I have regularly heard people talk about how shocked they've been by friend's posts on particular social issues, like racism, homophobia and immunisation. And why does it still feel so hard to delete friends from your page when these differences become cause for serious concern? There are privacy settings and "hiding" tools but it seems like there is no option if you just want to start over - other than simply quitting the site altogether. The interface is problematic. It is not so simple or easy to use and it's quite limited," said Mr Kaan. Most people need a framework for using social media. And that starts with asking how easy is something to use and how well does it reflect my life and priorities. Clearly, the key to having a healthy relationship with Facebook is not letting it take over too much of your life. If you only check a couple of times a week, you're probably not as likely to get caught up in the negative aspects. That said life without Facebook has been pretty good for me. I have found myself emailing people more often and have even picked up the phone for a chat. Before I decided to quit, I would have just sent a Facebook message -or been content to scroll through that person's status update to feel caught up. At the end of the day I just feel better about things generally - and unless that changes, I plan to stick with my decision. Forget Facebook, follow Lucy on Twitter: @lucyjk