A month ago I took a break from Facebook. I try to do this at least a few times a year, but this time it felt different, leaning toward something more permanent… or at least radically different.

Two books I read this year have had me rethinking my use of social media (and most things digital). The first is Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism. Newport challenges the idea that we can simply “dial back” or “slightly reduce” our use of social media. He reminds us that we are up against billion-dollar corporations profiting from our distraction and attention.

Then I read Mark Boyle’s The Way Home: Tales from a Life Without Technology. Boyle doesn’t stop with social media; he goes without most technology for a year. Every once in a while you read a book that makes you stop in your tracks and question most of what you know. The Way Home was one of those books.

Here are some observations from my time away:

Life feels more spacious and much more clear. It’s not like I have more time, but the time I do have feels more like my own. I have more time and space to think. The clarity is harder to describe. It feels like getting a new pair of glasses; everything is just more crisp.

My life feels like it belongs to me again. Instead of broadcasting every thought or rant, I just think a thought and that’s that. If it’s particularly insightful, I might write it down on an index card or tell a friend, but mostly I keep it to myself. We even took a vacation and I had a really great time… without posting all the pictures.

I’m crowdsourcing my problems locally. I’m opting for more face-to-face conversations that are not mediated by anything digital. I’m remembering that we are wired for texture, tone and nuance.

I do miss some things, but not enough to jump back in all the way. I do miss some of the interactions that Facebook provides… but not that much. I’m channeling some of that energy into writing our annual Christmas letter.

I feel like I own my phone, instead of the other way around. My phone feels more like a tool that I can use instead of a distracting leash that calls for my attention. I’ve also turned off badges and most alerts for everything, including text messages, so I’m sure that’s helped too.