April began while I was on vacation which gave me, among other things, a ten-day break from social media.

One reason for that was practical. I don’t think it’s wise to announce to the world when your home is empty. I also wanted to enjoy my vacation without the stress of posting, coming up with captions, and trying to get the perfect shot.

I got out of the habit and that has been a gift. I had time and distance to get some perspective and decided I didn’t actually want to go back to what I was doing. Now my focus – writing my next book and using my own website – is sharper. I realized creating and posting content wasn’t enhancing my writing. It was taking from it. And I’m not alone.

People everywhere are discovering the same thing. Hours spent filming, taking photos and recording audio has literally stolen parts of their lives and they are done with it. It is well known that we get a rush from likes and comments but like any addictive substance, it wears off quickly and we need the next hit even faster.

I’m grateful to have my focus back. I love to write and in order to write good stories that impact my readers, I need focused, consistent writing time. Those hours are too important to sacrifice to social media platforms. That doesn’t mean I don’t use it at all. I’ve just become more aware of the best use of it for me.

So, instead of sharing a picture of our backyard partridge family with hundreds on Instagram, I send it to my sisters and start a conversation. I’m enjoying reconnecting with family and friends. Those closest to us should receive the best of us, not the leftovers of our time.

And instead of writing captions, I’m working on my next books. One of those projects is a portal fantasy inspired by a conversation I had with some middle-graders. They have such great questions.

“What if the dinosaurs actually didn’t die but are hiding on an undiscovered island?” What if, indeed!